


"Our Contract will Never Expire!"

by Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Murder, One Shot, Other, Stalking, Yandere, Yandere Moonjumper, Yandere Snatcher, yandere/reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 16:16:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20727101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo/pseuds/Byuugyyi_Mijnuijo
Summary: He holds you up higher, and you can feel an emptiness and hopelessness inside yourself that you never thought you would experience. All of your dreams... crushed. All of your friends are never allowed to see you again. All that was left was an evil manic of a ghost that was your only companion... forever.He smirks, bringing you in close and whispering in your ear."Our contract will NEVER expire."This came from my one-shot book on Quotve, Blood-Covered Roses.





	"Our Contract will Never Expire!"

"Kid, don't you remember your contractual obligations? The fire spirits aren't going to die by themselves!"

Snatcher, a ghost of many, many words. And many, many contracts. The second of which you had to find out the hard way. Forced to give him your soul and do the ghosts bidding, most people would be scared by the entire ordeal.

But you... you were energized by it.

You giggle, beaming up at the amazing undead creature before you. He was the first ghost you had ever seen. It was like a dream come true! Your notebook sat in your hands. Its pages filled with the sights and sounds of the residence of his forest. The Subconites, the fire spirits, and most importantly what you could gather on the ghost sitting in front of you, was scribbled into your notebook. Information that meant more than all the stars in the universe for you.

"The fire spirits should be easy enough for anyone to fine with their constant chants about wanting to die! I think you need to go and fulfill their wish, kiddo! Make it as painful as possible!" Snatcher barks out, turning the pages of his book with a mildly annoyed look on his face.

The orange coloring of his housemade him stand out like a sore thumb against it. A gentle breeze came in from the giant mouth like entrance to his dwellings, making you wonder how he doesn't get annoyed by the draft ...It was a little weird that the front and back door of Snatchers pad looked exactly like his own face but you weren't really one to be judging excentricities where you? You quickly scribble down the thoughts you were having.

"Hey, kid are you just going to stand there and stare at me? And I thought I was supposed to be the creepy one. Go complete the contract kiddo!" His eyes leave the pages of his book glaring at you slightly, not at all amused with your presence.

The corners of your mouth go up seeing his glowing gaze on you. Those yellow eyes could pierce through any darkness, and to see them aimed at you made your curiously grow. "Oh! Your eyes are so cool! Can you see in the dark with those?" Every inch of you is filled with excitement and wonder. You wanted to know everything about the shadow in front of you.

What he does for fun, What abilities his spooky form gives him, how long he's been dead... You could go on and on. You wanted to write every juicy bit of information he would give you down. After all what paranormal investigator would you be if you didn't try to find out everything you can about the different spirits that you meet?

Snatcher frowns closing the book in front of him but keeping track of the page he was on with his thumb. "I told you already kid! Flattery isn't going to get you out of my contract. Get to work trooper!" The spark of anger in his eyes burned like fire spirits you were supposed to find.

You blink tilting your head, pretending that you didn't understand the annoyance you were bringing him. "But... I don't want to get out of my contract." You smile sweetly at the spooky ghost. You felt excited just being in the same room as the paranormal entity, you desperately wanted to play any act just to know even a little more information on him.. "I just think that...you're really amazing!"

The ghost slaps one of his clawed hands onto his forehead, shaking his head back and forth, grumbling something under his breath. "How about this? If you somehow manage not to die completing this contract I might agree to answer your questions." The sarcasm in his voice was dense but you didn't even care. This was the first positive answer you had gotten from Snatcher, and you know that you shouldn't scorn that. You put on a serious face, saluting the paranormal entity in front of you.

"Yes! I won't let you down." You cry out, running away from his tree at full speed, with a hidden smirk firm on your lips. You didn't tell Snatcher this but you already scoped out where each of the fire spirits paintings was and you placed them right next to their fire. All it would take you was a small push and boom! Your contract would be fulfilled.

His gaze followed your departure. "Good riddance..." He mumbles flipping back open his book and continuing to read the words held inside. After pushing your piles of paintings back into the fire you wrote a couple of more notes on the fire spirits. Writing down that when they die their weird barriers go down and if they can die... does that mean other spirits can die? That was an interesting thought to be sure...

You click your pen in satisfied with the notes you have taken, and a huge smile appeared on your face as you spirited back to the creepy tree the ghost called home. "Hey, I did it!" Your voice calls out, as you skid on the floor in front of him. Snatchers eyes go wide before placing themselves on you."What? Already?" He asks tilting his head with befuddlement in his gaze

You smile at him, with a smile that screamed smugness. You couldn't help but feel proud of the cunning plan you came up with. "Yep! Now I get to ask you questions right?"

Snatcher narrows his eyes at you, playing a bookmark in between the pages of the book. "Well, it appears that I can't sense those meddlesome creatures loitering around anymore. You're a tricky one aren't you?" The book in his hands floats off, resting itself on the table on the other side of his home and he puts his full attention on you.

You giggle, deciding to take his comment as a compliment. He stares at you for a couple of seconds before his tooth yellow smile extends upwards with an evil glint dancing in his eyes."Hahahahah! Well sorry to burst your bubble kid! I never signed a contract saying I had to participate in your little interview!"

You narrow your eyes and puff out your cheeks. Hat kid did tell you that Snatcher was going to be a tough nut to crack open. Heck, according to Hat Kid, Snatcher was one of the biggest tsunderes on the planet. But she did also have faith that he would be a great first case for you and you hope for your sake that she was right... "Awww... but you said you would!" You pout trying to look as cute as possible to perhaps make him reconsider his answer.

He taps his claws together, soaking in your unhappiness with the situation with a smile on his face. "I said that I might answer your questions kid! Hahahahaha! You should have negotiated for a contract if it means so much to you!"

You sigh, his uncooperativeness was expected but still, it was a little disappointing. You click your pen in jolting down a note about only accepting promises from him if they are written in contract form. His sinister laugh echoes through the tree, around you only rubbing salt into your dull hope of getting to know him. "You may think your clever but I've memorized every loophole in the book, kiddo!"

Your forehead wrinkles as you place your hand on your chin. Hmmm... So it's clear that your little plan against him didn't work as well as you hoped it would. You're going to have to change tactics if you ever hope to finally get some more information about him. Luckily enough you did have a backup plan in store...

You just really... really didn't want to resort to it. You bite your lip, it would make sense to try though. He seems to live alone and he especially more than likely hasn't had that type of attention for a while now. You mentally prepare yourself before looking down at the ground, scraping his floor with your shoes. "Well... that's a shame..." You tilt your head up at him, batting your eyelashes at him with a disappointed frown on your lips. "I wanted to get to know the most handsome ghost in the Subcon forest."

His eyes expand and a cold chill falls down your spine as a sudden breeze from the outside hits you. His vision scattered looking all around you before finally returning back to you, raising an eyebrow." ....Are you trying to flirt with me, kid?" His voice was much quieter than his typical loud tone but his face gave away nothing. No indication if he hated what you were doing. He seemed much more confused about what was happening more than anything. Which, was enough for you to feel like it would be okay to continue.

You take a couple of steps closer, stroking your finger across the front of his chair's armrest, biting your lip. "I might be... Your voice does give me chills down my spine." You peer up at him with half-lidded eyes and a flirty smile that you had perfected over the years. To say that you are a master of flirting would be an overstatement, but you have used it before on people to get the information you desire. You were familiar will wielding the weapon for sure.

The ghosts bewilderment fades, as he starts laughing maniacally at you. "Hahahahaha! You really are a weirdo, aren't you?" Mocking lined his words like he was a school bully and you happen to be a poor nerd that asked if you could hang out with him. Your heart sinks a little. You weren't really flirting with him because you liked him but the callousness in his voice did strike a chord in you. "I already have a soulmate! She's waiting for me, you know?" He points his finger down at you, sharpening his gaze."I don't need another one." The authority and cruel nature of his words, sliced at your heart.

You gulp, a light sweat dripping down your forehead, Soulmate huh? He must already have someone in his life then or more accurately afterlife. That explains why he talked to you in such a rude way after flirting with him at least and it tells you that doing so again would not be wise. You extend your arm out to him, dropping your flirting facade. "Well... What about just being a friend?" You put on your cutest voice possible.

The ghost reels his head back, the chair tilting from the force of his head hitting the back of the chair. "Friend?! Is that what this is about?" His claws grab the sides of his chair, his eyes sharper than a dagger. "Oh, I swear you humans are just lining up for my friendship these days. What makes you think I would even want to be your friend, kid? Humans aren't exactly what I'd consider friend material." He gestures at you like you were a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe.

The pure annoyance and agitation in his gaze were stronger than you had ever seen before. It was as if he was insulted with the very idea of you even attempting to be his friend. But, he did have a human friend before. Your eyes move towards his dresser, a replica of hat kids hat was sitting proudly on top of it. She did give all of her friends one of those before she left and if snatcher was displaying his that must mean that the kid meant something to him. You point your finger towards the hat. "Well, Isn't Hat Kid you-"

Snatcher's eyes dart over to the top hat on his dresser, and he growls at it. "Hat kid?" His eyes turn back at you, something you would almost consider a look of betrayal in his yellow glowing eyes. "I see what's going on here. Did she ask you to come here and pester me in her place? Does she want you to pick up the best friend totem in her absence?" He folds his arms, suspicion plain on his face.

Did he really think that Hat Kid was going to have someone to replace her when she's gone? You shake your head, looking up to the overly withdrawn ghost. "No... But she told me about you. How funny and interesting you were..." The corners of your mouth upturn, as your eyes, meet his own. "...And now that I've seen you with my own eyes I have to say she was right." Happiness and sincerity shine on your face. You weren't telling him a lie. You do think that the spirit in front of you is one of many enjoyable qualities.

A scowl emerges on his ghostly lips, and he lowers his arm tapping his hand against the arm of the chair. "Kid, she changed the rules of one of my contracts! I am forced to be best friends with her!" He lifts his hand out, laying his palm out at you. "Why would I ever want to sign a contract like that when I can't even fulfill the terms of the first one!" You would imagine from the sounds of his voice that he would be rolling his eyes if he had any real pupils.

You tilt your head a little confused with his statement. "Can't fulfill..?" Hat kid spoke of it like he was doing just fine as her best friend. Why was Snatcher thinking it was the opposite?

He leans over, his tall body towering over your relatively much smaller stature. "She's. Gone. Kid." He hisses, pronouncing his words with a venomous sting, as he leans back into his chair. "Leaving all of her so-called friends behind!" He holds his claws up forming air quotes with the word friends. "Now, I'm left with a contract that's impossible for me to uphold! Do you know what that means, kid? Lawsuits! I can get sued over breaching the contract!"

You narrow your eyes at the ghost. Lawsuits? Hat kid would never try to sue him over anything! She would find the whole thing far too boring to do such... "Snatcher, I doubt that Hat Kid would ever go to court over this... and who says that she won't come back?" You attempt to reason with him. Hat Kid never said that she was going to leave this planet forever... and you know that she would return otherwise you would have to go out there and find her to kick her butt for not visiting...

He sits back up straight in his chair, moving his mouth the side, unimpressed."Come back? No, I'm happy that she finally got the heck out of my forest! I never have to worry about that annoying kid prancing around here again!" The book laying on the table flies back to his hands and he flips it open and throwing the bookmark out of it at an alarming speed. He rests his ghostly digits against the armrest. "Signing contracts that involve any type of so-called "friendship" is sure to be broken! I'm never signing one again! Having a lawsuit thrown at me would completely waste an afternoon!"

Snatcher. He was really trying to hide his emotions with the idea of being sued huh? But you could see through that smokescreen. He misses Hat Kid... Doesn't he? The way he spoke about her being gone and the way he talked about friendship always being broken... That poor ghost! You could sympathize with his inner sadness of Hat Kids departure.

"Snatcher..." You take a step closer to him, almost a bit hesitant in your movements. You didn't want him to suffer that pain without offering any sympathy for the poor ghost. You reach your hand out gently placing it on his and you peer up at him, trying your best to comfort him."I'm sorry that this is happening to you..."

Hie entire body shakes as soon as you make contact with him. Snatcher's eyes sart over to your hand, eyes wide and mouth falling open. "HEY! What do you think you're doing?" He shouts out, his golden gaze locked on and unmoving from that spot."Touching me like that? Who do you think you are? I never gave you permission!"

A light coat of embarrassment paints your face as you tug yourself away from him. You look down at the floor like an ashamed puppy. "Oh! Sorry Snatcher..." You apologize, rubbing your arm. You should have expected Snatcher to not be the type to want physical contact like that... although it was strange how the dead man's claws felt... strangely warm to you...

"Excuse me- Kid, I didn't tell you that you could let go!" His voice cuts through your awkwardness like a dull knife. You slowly raise your gaze back up him, your throat dry and your mouth firmly pressed against each other. Wait, does that mean-?

"What are you waiting for, Kid? Did I not make myself clear? This is a command, not a suggestion!" He extends his arm, looking straight at the pages of his book... Although you could tell his eyes weren't reading a single word from it... His hand stops just in front of you. His claws twitching waiting for your warmth to embrace them.

He wants you to hold his hand if he wants you to do that... that must mean that he's starting to consider you as a friend right? Fireworks go off inside your head, as a huge goofy grin appears on your face. If your friends with him you can learn so much more about him! That's just what you were looking for! You beam up at the ghost, giggling as you place your hand right into his waiting claws.

He doesn't even pretend to be focusing on the book, flinging his vision over at your conjoined hands as soon as yours touches his. He studies it, combing over the scene over and over again. You feel a slight spike of anxiety flow through you. Why is he staring at your hand holding his for this long? And why do you swear you can see some worry in his gaze? His claws embrace your hand, his eyes shifting over to his book. "Well done kid! Real impressed that you could follow orders." He says, the corners of his mouth rising on his face, but still keeping his eyes on the book in front of him.

You did feel a little uneasy from the way he refused to meet your eyes, but the progress you are making with him is astounding! You were holding hands with him for crying out loud. You look up at him, smirking. "Does this mean we're friends, Snatcher?"

A sharp glare forms on his face, and he shoots it over at you, clenching your hand a little harder. "No! This just means that I decided to let you hold hands as a bit of encouragement to get your next contract done errand boy!" The smile on his face made it rather obvious that the hand-holding wasn't just for you.

You could tell just from the fact that he wanted you to hold his hand that the two of you must be growing closer so even if he wasn't able to admit that he was your friend for now. You knew that you would get him to admit it later on. You wink up at him, with a mischievous twinkle in your gaze. "Whatever you say, new friend!"

The ghost in question groans, rolling his non-pupiled eyes. "Kid, I don't think you understand! I will never be friends with you!" Suddenly, a contract poofs into existence in front of you. "You are my braindead servant and you will continue being that until you drop dead!"

His denial was a kind of cute. The fact he was so defensive of the idea of the two of you being friends was pretty funny to you. After all, he clearly wants to be friends right? What other reason would he have to hold your hand? This was the only option that made sense right?

Friends... Now that is something you could strive for!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How long have you been in the Subcon forest? You have no clue. Considering the place is always night it makes it hard to judge how many days you've been here. The one thing you did know was that you feel like you've been here much longer then you were anticipating. You swear that you've been here for a full month now but Snatcher seems to have contract after contract for you.

Snatcher. He has changed a little bit... He is much more open to answering questions and you gained so much cool information about him. But when you questioned him about maybe going home or anything of the sort he becomes instantly aggressive and agitated from it. You weren't really happy about that fact. You were... starting to feel a little homesick. Sure the mafia ran your town and they could be a little rough but you did miss the feeling the sun on your skin...

That's when... something happened. It was a normal mail run. Snatcher had you doing one of these every single day now and you were getting used to the routine. You handed off what you thought was the last letter, and you smiled happy that you got that contract over with. Then you looked in the bag just to check and there was one letter left inside. That's odd, wasn't this bag empty just a moment ago? You shrug your shoulders, deciding that you must have just not noticed that letter before.

You looked at the letter closer. "For (Y/N)" Was written in a dark red font on the front of the envelope. You were confused and really curious so you decided to open the letter...

That's when you got the invitation...

"My (Y/N), my eyes gazed upon a sad, sad sight. That Snatcher... he has taken you prisoner has he not? You may not wear chains but you are bound to his whim! There's a crossroads here my dear, Broken in half by the rulers here! Just follow the path near his tree and I'll be there for our first-ever meeting."

Now... you weren't normally one to listen to mysterious letters from an unidentified stranger that wanted you to meet them at a location all alone, but the one writing it did seem to know somewhat about your relationship with Snatcher... Maybe whoever wrote this is asking you to meet them so they can help you with your situation?

If Snatcher isn't going to be reasonable about you going home... maybe whoever this was would help you leave? There's only so many times you can do these jobs before your going to break, and this letter may be the ticket out you've been looking for.

Now you were here. You followed the path near Snatchers home and found yourself next to a bridge, the middle entirely decimated with no way of crossing besides jumping. You shiver, the frozen paradise on the other sides chilling wind struck you. You had never been even close to the tundra part of the forest. Snatcher had forbidden you from entering it. You were still curious of the reason why he didn't want you over their though...

"Ah yes, my (Y/N) has finally come to visit me! I began to fear you would never arrive." A smooth, high tenor voice vibrates through the air. In spite of its loud upbeat insides, the way it was spoken was calm and persuasive, a real treat for your ears. You can't make out what direction his voice came from... it was almost like he was everywhere around you somehow... You do a quick spin, searching the landscape around you for any sign of the creature that had that magnificent voice.

"Hehehehe! You wish to see me as well, my (Y/N)? That is perfectly fine with me!" Your eyes widen, his voice now is only coming from one location. You turn your head back to the bridge.

You didn't know what you were looking at. His whole appearance left quite a lot to digest. He had a curved horn on top of his head, his skin was a light blue, with orange marks on his face, he only had one pupil...And he had no legs to speak off. He is wearing what you would describe as extremely tattered formal wear with a broken monocle to match. Shackles were chained to his wrists... But what you would consider the creepiest part of him was... he had a mile-long smile. The kind of smile was chilling. Terrifying to the bone.

That very smile grew even bigger as you stare at him in awe and horror. "Ah, the tables have turned, I'm the one being watched!" A light goes off in your eyes, as you finally process what's in front of you. "Are you... a ghost?" You somewhat timidly ask. There was no doubt about it, this guy in terms of fear beat Snatcher by a mile, and to say that you weren't affected by it would be a big fat lie. From that fear, you can only guess that this creature was also a ghost

"Yes, a ghost I am indeed-" The disembodied torso floats a little closer to you, a softness growing in his one-eyed gaze. "-But I would much rather you not think of me as anything to fear," His cheerful heavenly vocals turn gentle, trying to lulling you into a state of calm.

He's a ghost? Another ghost that you can study? But... he's so scary... The velvety embrace of his voice was hard to resist. It subtlety massaged your eardrums, helping them recover from Snatcher's yells for you to work. Despite his terrifying appearance, his voice was that of an angel. You flip open your notebook, trying to make quick notes about him without taking your eyes off of him. You didn't know what this guy wanted still and you can never be too careful.

"Oh uhh... I just uhh... I've never seen anything like you before.." you tell the spirit, keeping your feet planted on the ground and ready to run if he tried anything. "I uhh... was just a little startled by it that's all..." His unblinking eye is focused in on you and he tilts his head. "Not many are like me, I would be startled as well if I had to see a corpse dangling right in front of me."

You narrow your eyes, a surge of dread running through you. "What do you mean by... c-corpse?" Were you looking at... a possessed dead body right now? The creature chuckles, putting his hand up to rest on his cheek. "This shell of a human body I call my home has been dead for decades, killed long ago!" Your eyes widen, a small bead of sweat trickling down your face. He was... once human? But why did his physical form look so deranged? He didn't look human at all! You quickly scribble that into your notebook, praying you'll be able to decipher your own handwriting later.

"Hehehehe... Curious and curiouser my (Y/N) seems to be!" A fondness sprouts up in his expression. Fondness that you couldn't understand. Why would he be fond of someone he just met? "That twinkle in your gaze... Ah yes, you must be curious about me just as I am about you." His hands come together, causing a clapping sound to vibrate through the air, as he closes his eyes, satisfied form the weird conclusion he drew.

You blink, almost dumbfounded with his presumptuous statement. Yes, you were curious about him... he was another ghost for crying out loud! You get to write about another ghost! But his physical appearance was making you much more panicked than excited. "Uhh... Okay, but uhhh... can you tell me why you wanted me to come here?" You felt some bad vibes from him that you couldn't explain. Like your own body was telling you something that your mind couldn't decipher.

The ghost's eyes upturn at you, as his hands clasp around each other tightens. "Ah, you finally asked. I wanted to give you a gift! A present as it were." The corpse levitates ever closer to you, all of its decaying details fresh and morbid, as he throws his hands out. 'The gift of knowledge."

You wince as he grew closer, digesting the sight of this being was not an easy task for you. You have seen scarier creatures in movies but seeing something like this in the flesh was a whole different experience though. You can't help but feel a tingle of fear when seeing him when the last ghost you met was just a shadow creature.

"My dear sweet (Y/N), I would never harm a hair on your head..." His voice whispered, making his voices velvety smoothness even more apparent to your ears. "Don't think of me as someone that despicable..." A sorrow leaps into his eyes as he averts his gaze from you for the very first time that night. Your mouth opens slightly only to close as words lose their meaning to you. The delicious kiss of his mellow utterances sounded like you just disappointed an angel.

You could feel your heart sink watching this sad display in front of you. It almost seemed that he was used to people being terrified of him... Used to people thinking he was going to hurt them... A small dagger of guilt stabs you in the chest. Poor thing...

You twiddle your pen in your hand, looking down unwilling to look at the creature's eyes. "Hey... uhh, I'm sorry that I... got a little scared their.." You force your eyes up, staring into his mismatched gaze. His eyes turn caring and gentle, as his smile raises father then you have ever seen it. "Oh yes, that means more to me then you would ever know."

His cheerful tone was back in action, and you exhale. You were going to miss how beautiful his voice was when he whispered..."...I uhhh... don't believe I ever caught your name..." You ask, feeling a bit rude for not asking him his name sooner. The spirit's eyes widen, and his face breaks out into complete delight. "I am the Moonjumper, oh yes, indeed!

You blink, tilting your head. "Moonjumper...?" That's a rather odd name for him... He doesn't look like he has any connection with the moon... and he doesn't even have legs that he could jump with... The spirit in question chuckles, the chains of his shackles clunking from a sudden gust of wind. "The Moonjumper is my name! And the horizon is where I am bound to stay!"

Your eyebrows furrow, writing down his name but getting stuck when he mentions the word horizon. Horizon?... Does he mean the horizon where the land meets the sky? "I don't understand...What's the horizon?" Every question you ask this guy just seems to leave you with even more questions. Not that you minded, of course, you were a curious little scamp.

The Moonjumper floats up into the air until he reaches where the sky kisses the ground. "Up here, my dear! I live and breath for this horizon. It's my home!" A sense of victory attaches itself to you. You did guess that he meant the horizon of the sky... He tilts his floating body, making it easier for him to continue his piercing gaze on you. "Up here I can see everyone and everything! I am a silent... Observer!"

Your eyes light up, as a small giggle emerges from your mouth. You turn your eyes to your notebook, writing down what he's telling you holding onto every word he says. "Hehehehehe! You must be quite satisfied with the information I have provided, Investigator!" He calls out, in an almost teasing manner, but your eyes widen, realization flooding over you.

Wait... why did he call you an investigator? Did he know you wanted to be a paranormal investigator already? How did he know that?

And speaking of that... you still haven't asked him why he knows your name...

You peer up at the ghost, a nervousness starting to bite at you. "Uhh... Mr. Moonjumper... How did you know my name? And uhh... why did you just call me an investigator?" The ghosts eye never left you and you started to wish that he would blink because the intensity of stare was starting to get to you.

"I have already said, My (Y/N)!" He spreads his arms out, gesturing to the entire forest below his domain. "I can see everything up here and-" He lowers his arms pointing one of his long blue fingers directly at you "-my new favorite thing to observe is most certainly you."

Your face pales from the horrific revelation. "W-what?" Your muscles tense up instantly. He's been observing you?! He's been watching you around without your knowledge. The Moonjumper chuckles as if watching what you do all day wasn't something serious at all. "My (Y/N) There's no sense worrying! I observe everything down here from my home above!" The Moonjumper sinks back down to the ground leaving the stars of the night sky.

His expression calm and collected, unlike the nervous wreck that you were. "Hehehehe... I've seen you around here before working under that tyrant shadow." He straightens up, floating a tad bit closer to you, "Ah yes, I was quite surprised to see you survive two weeks under him! No one has ever lasted this long before." His eye-lids split his eyes in half as he presses his smiling lips together. " Ah... makes sense you would be the one to survive... You shine brighter than any of the stars."

Red grows on your features as you take a step back, hands raised up to cover your mouth. W-what? What did this spirit think it was doing? "U-uhhhh ummm..." Only stammering murmurs exited your throat. You didn't know what to say to that... You didn't know what you could even respond to that... While you did have experience flirting with and dealing with the shallow comments usually resulting from that. You weren't used to hearing something with that level of intensity.

A soft giggle emerges from the puppet-like corpse, as he tilts his head. "Has no one told you of your beauty before, my (Y/N)? He delicately strokes his chin, looking at you inquisitively. You nervously twiddle your thumbs, looking past him into the snow-covered wilderness. "Uhh... I-i'm not used to being c-complimented like that..." Nor, were you used to knowing that someone practically stalked you...

The smile on his long-dead mug turns more into a smirk. "Oh my, that Snatcher's treating you even worse than I thought! Not that I expected him to be pampering you like I would, indeed."A knot forms in your stomach at those words, and you tilt your head up taking a definite step back from the sprite. You don't know what he's asking but the way he says pampering is anything but good news. Your eyes dart over to the path... it shouldn't take you long to sprint down it.

"Ah, thinking of leaving me so soon after we unite?" You glance back over at the creepy corpse, he was pulling at his shackles, glaring down at them. His vision turns to you, removing its harsh gaze. "Ah yes, Snatcher has you wrapped around his claws, doesn't he?" Your eyes widen, as your eyes narrow down at him. "Hey!" While you were contractually obligated to be his servant, it didn't make that insult he threw your way sting any less.

A light sigh exits from his long-dead lips, as his smile reaches higher than ever before, tilting his head. "Well, Hehehehe! For Snatcher's sake, you're going to have to stay like that for quite a long time, indeed."

Your eyes turn into sharp daggers the hand not holding your notebook forming into a fist. You were tempted to just run. Run before he could taunt you again but your curiosity of what he was talking about was too strong to allow you to leave. "What do you mean by that?" The second it exits your mouth, Moonjumper's eye shimmers with delight.

Moonjumper leans forward, the orange target shape that was his eye growing smaller. "You ever wonder why he wouldn't answer your questions about-" He levitates his torso an inch closer to you. "-returning home?" He said his smooth words like the snake in the Garden of Eden tempting Eve with the apple.

You fold your arms, your notebook dangling from one of your hands, as you move your vision to the trees beside you. You grind your teeth, irritated that he had to be the one to know the answer to the question that was eating at your insides. "... I have..." You mutter, under your breath.

The mad ghost laughs, holding both of his hands up to cup his cheeks. "Ah yes, The answer to what you seek is very simple indeed, but he wouldn't dare tell you!" Your eyes widen, returning your vision to him. You mouth presses against itself as worry sprouts up in your gaze. The fact that Snatcher didn't want to tell you his answer, didn't sound like the answer was going to be one that made you happy.

Moonjumper floats up to you, leaning his face up to yours. You quickly leaned back trying to get his decaying mug away from you. "He doesn't intend on ever letting you go... He wants to keep you here with him. Forever!" He whispers, like the dark omen his statement was. Your pupils dilate taking a couple of steps away from the ghost.

What? You knew he wasn't going to kill you because you had a connection to Hat Kid but come on! Snatcher wanting you to stay... The very same Snatcher that after you nearly broke your legs dropping down the well, said "If only you shattered your knee caps kid! I would have been fun to tie the blindfold on you and put a bullet in the chamber!" ... Wanted you to stay with him, forever?

Why would he ever want to keep you around forever?

He didn't keep Hat Kid around forever and he even admitted to being her friend! The only thing he does with you is that he'll give you contracts, He will sometimes answer your questions about his powers and such, He'll insult you... The only thing he does that might support the idea is that sometimes he asks you to hold his hand?

Moonjumpers assertion didn't make any logical sense! Snatcher probably was just waiting for some new poor sap to walk into one of his traps!

"Moonjumper is that really the best lie you could come up with?" You roll your eyes, seething that he thought you were dumb enough to believe that load of crap. The ghost exhales looking down to the empty space his legs should have been. "Ah yes, I knew you would deny it... You haven't seen the things the horizon has let me see!"

You stomp your foot, about had it with this horizon he keeps pedaling. "I don't care what your horizon showed you! There's no way that Snatcher of all ghosts would want to keep me here!" You turn away from him facing the pathway. How dare this random guy ask you to come over if all he was going to do was waste your time? "This conversation is over!" You walk away from the floating corpse, mumbling about how ridiculous his so-called truth really was.

As you walked away, you could hear Moonjumper say one last thing.

"I await your return..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The contracts come out the contracts come in. Over and over again! You complete one, two more come in, It's an endless cycle of work and you can't stress enough that the bags under your eyes are becoming more and more noticeable with every new day.

While Snatcher has granted you a place to sleep, his nice chair, you think that you're starting to get sleep deprivation or something because you swear you can feel... something watching... You can feel it so clearly that you almost believe that it is real but... for the sake of your own sanity, you decided to ignore it the best you could. -But for you, that's not even the worst part... the worst part was that these contracts were getting weirder and weirder... like Snatcher was just giving you busy work!

You had just completed the last contract Snatcher gave you. The contract reads out that you need to find a specific Subconite by the name of Bob. Sounded simple enough to you... Three hours later of tracking and looking through every single Subconite, you accidentally tripped on a rock and fell into some bushes, which the Subconite known as Bob was... hiding in? He was walking right next to you down to Snatchers tree, and whenever you attempted to question why he was in that bush, he would turn his head away and start humming, You wrote down a note about Subconites possibly humming if their nervous before you made your way to Snatchers tree.

You had been to this place so many times now you could picture his tree in your mind in perfect detail. You could see ever individual spike of the tendrils coiling around his tree. Every one of the bioluminescent mushrooms sticking out of its bark. You remembered each little detail... You really should get Snatcher to meet you at other locations because you kind of wish that you could meet him near the weird ice table or just... anywhere that wasn't here!

You and the Subconite cross the thorny vine bridge to his home, the illuminating light of his pad, covering you in its yellow light. You step on his rug forming a funnel around your mouth with your hands. "Hey, Snatcher I found your minion!" You point at the Subconite, who stares at his boss shaking, clearly frightened as he takes a step behind you.

Snatcher takes a lazy look over at the Subconite, pursing his lips, and shaking his head. "How disappointing... " Bob points his eye down to the ground, his tiny stubby arms messing with his burlap sack of a body. "Sorry, Snatcher sir!" He calls out, bowing down to his master.

Snatcher weakly flicks his wrist at the Subconite, returning his eyes to the words in front of him. "Try to hide better next time! DISMISSED!" Bob jumps up into the air, surprise clear on his face. He salutes snatcher or rather he tries to salute Snatcher... his tiny arms didn't really make it look like he was saluting although you could tell it was a salute of sorts. "T-Thank you, sir!" The next second the Subcontie ran out of the house as fast as he could, like a chicken with its head cut off.

You shoot glances at the spot he used to occupy and the ghost reading in his chair, narrowing your eyes, with your forehead wrinkling. Hiding better next time, huh? Something fishy is going on here... Snatcher was looking at his book, troubled in some form or manner about something. You creep forward and you slap the top of his armrest marking his gaze dash over to you. "Snatcher, what's going on?" You tilt your head at him.

The ghosts unimpressed perturbed face glows a brighter yellow, as his hand leaves the spine of his book. His claws coil around your resting hand. The warmth of his touch was one you were used to at the point but it always felt kind of awkward when the ghost constantly tried to do such."Hehehehe! Sending you on a wild goose chase was entertaining you have to admit!" Your eyes widen at the revelation, slightly impressed that he would just up and say what was so strange about that last contact. You press your lips together, licking them a little. "Does that mean your out of normal contracts then?"

The claws holding on to you tense their hold on your fragile flesh stronger than before, the spirits golden gaze narrowing at you. "You really think that it's over, kiddo?" He asks darkness underlining his words, which wasn't unusual when he was frustrated over a stupid question of yours. "I have plenty more where that came from!"

You blink at the ghost shrugging your shoulders. You were quite used to the constant avalanche of contracts he gave you, so it wasn't anything you found that problematic. Although, it was a bit weird how he insisted on having so many more normal contracts that you could do after the last one was weird... " Alright then... Can I sign the next one then?"

The book in Snatchers hand slams by itself, scaring you a little bit. "Okay kid! I've done some thinking and I have decided to be generous to you!" You nervously smile up at the ghost, not at all trusting the way he said generous in his statement. "I am allowing you to have a small break in between these two contracts. How lucky are you!"

You scratch the side of your face, awkwardly staring at the ghost, is awe and confusion. He never let you stay around without a contract on your shoulders before, and while you did appreciate the moment of calm with a contract breathing down your neck... You also didn't understand why he would give this to you all of a sudden. "I Mean... Thank you, Snatcher?" 

You swear that the glow of his eyes grew brighter when you said his name, and he puffs his chest out. The book in his hands flies off back to the table, as his claw gently strokes the back of your hand. "As an additional bonus, you'll get to spend your time here with me! You can ask me all of those dumb questions about me till your lungs explode." The corners of your eyes crinkle as you beam up at the ghost. "Really?" You ask, feeling the hope jump right out of your chest. You raise your notebook up having it cover the smile on your face. You've been waiting for this moment since the second you stepped on Subcon forests soil!

Snatcher chuckles, looking down at your reaction with a smug sly grin. "Of course! You get to hear all about the most handsome ghost around, kid!" His claws rise off of your hand, freeing you from his comfort. "Have a seat!"

You back away from his chair, searching the small space for any presence of anything you could sit on before your eyes are drawn to the footstool that is unoccupied. You walk over to it and rest your bottom on its soft surface. The self-satisfied features on Snatcher's face disappears, replaced by a harsh frown. "NOT there!"

You raise an eyebrow at the shadowy undead, Hesitantly getting up off of the stool."Why can't I sit there?" You ask, Just as the footstool suddenly moves, throwing itself under Snatchers wispy tail.

"It's already occupied, kid!" Snatcher announces as if he didn't just move it a second ago. You tilt your head, pursing your lips looking down at the footstool, "Well... You just took the last thing I could possibly take a seat with...'

The ghost folds his arms, tucking his head in. "Are you blind? Don't you see the chair?" You blink, obviously staring right at the occupied chair. Of course, you see the chair, but the chair is already being used by him... "Are you... going to get up then or-?" Snatcher shakes his head, hiding the glow of his mouth by pressing his lips together. "Who said that this chair only had a sitting capacity of one?"

You glance over at the cousin of the seat, Snatchers ghostly form took up the chair quite handy, which meant you would have to... A light blush throws itself on your face. You hold your notebook in front of it trying to hide the embarrassment on your cheeks. "Are you saying that you want me to... sit on your lap?"

His eyes narrow further as he leans forward, causing a shadow to fall over your face. "I told you to take a seat, Kid! That is an order!" His form was imposing and his voice was deadly serious. Which in your experience tended to mean that he did not want to be questioned further about something.

A huge smile slashes through your face as you burst out laughing. Really Snatcher? Was he that shy about asking you to sit and read with him? How cute! The ghost must really have gained a soft spot for you if he wanted you to do that with him. The corners of the ghost's mouth only go lower on his dark face and you swear you see... worry in his eyes? In between giggles, you look back at them and no sign of that worry you saw was left. Was that actually their or did you just imagine it?

Whatever it was, you put on a cheerful smile for the ghost. You were fine with sitting on his lap, especially if it brought the two of you closer together. "Snatcher, if you wanted me to sit on your lap you could have just asked." You roll your eyes, at how dramatic the noodle-like undead had to be.

Snatcher's claw taps repeatedly on the arm of his chair as eyes narrow somehow even further than before. "Then come over here and sit down already! I might have an eternity but I am getting impatient!" Impatient, eh? So much for that thick shell Hat Kid told you about... It was plain to you that Snatcher was right on the edge of admitting the two of you were friends and you were most certainly proud of that achievement.

You place your notebook and pen down on his table, knowing that having it on you would be awkward when sitting down on him. You tilt your head up to the sky, approaching the ghost. With a small jump, you land in the ghosts lap and you turn around facing his book and rest your butt on top of his... what you would assume to be his lap? It's hard to tell when his body is shaped like an upside-down teardrop.

Soon after you land, the spirit underneath you tenses, and Snatcher sharply intakes some air. You raise an eyebrow, but you shrug off your confusion. He must have not had someone on his lap for quite a while. The sensation must be strange for him...

Snatcher mumbles something under his breath before relaxing, turning a page and drawing your attention to the book. You... You had no clue what anything on the page said. You squint your eyes at the writing leaning closer. F-french? Was Snatcher reading a book that's in another language? An amused chuckle comes from the ghost. "What's with the shocked face kid? It's just another language. Unless- Uh oh! You can't read it!"

You puff out your cheeks at the rude laughter of the tall being. "Look, not everyone has all of that time on their hands..." You curse under your breath at the different language in front of you. What kind of books Snatcher likes would have been interesting information to write down... "What are you reading anyway?" The ghost flips the pages in front of him, although his attention was nowhere near the words.

"A classic! The Phantom of the Opera!" You take your eyes off of the foreign words looking at Snatcher and scratching your cheek. "Oh..? Are you enjoying it?" He's reading a love story...? You didn't see Snatcher be the type that was interested in that kind of thing. Most of the other books you've seen him read are about killing kids or books about law stuff.

"I'm just disappointed that the phantom wasn't even a real ghost! Come on! Where's my representation?" He points to himself with one of his claws, with a mildly annoyed frown on his face. You tilt your head and blinked at him. "So are you... not enjoying it then?"

The ghosts frown turns back into one of his signature big open smiles as he leans back into his chair, clearly much more relaxed then he was when he first put you on his lap. "There are still things that are enjoyable about it kid." His eyes bore right into you much softer than you were used too. "Who can deny that allowing someone to stay in your domain forever with you isn't just a bit romantic? Hahahaha! Of course, I would make them do some upkeep on the forest as well! Maybe give them a couple of contracts?"

Your eyes go wide from that statement and you can feel your mouth starting to dry out. "He wants to keep you here with him. Forever!" You could almost hear Moonjumper's warning all over again. That sounded like you... He was giving you contracts he was letting you stay here... He looked straight at you when he said that... B-but... he can't be really planning on doing that. He just likes a part of a book... and is relating it to his own stuff, you shouldn't assume that what he says has anything to do with what Moonjumper was talking about.

Even still, you tensed up on his lap, suddenly uncomfortable with being that close with him. The ghost was not oblivious to your new changed state, gazing at you and forming his mouth into a half-smile. "Wait, Kid! Does that fact that I like that make you nervous? Does it hit too close to home?" He tilts his head a mischievous glint hitting his eyes as he leans in.

"Hahahah! Well, I hate to disappoint but why would I ever be interested in you?" He said that so derogatory and cruel, it was like he was saying something that he knew would tear you apart... And it would have if you did have any feelings for the ghost. But fortunately for you. You didn't have to deal with your heart being broken, instead, you felt a wave of relief. 

"Oh, good!" You answer back, genuinely happy that he could ease your stress like that. The nastiness on his face disappears into a look of befuddlement, which made you giggle. "That means that you're doing this because you want us to be friends right?" You could cross out the idea of him being romantically interested from that... Even though, you couldn't help but notice how there was a small speck of... hurt in his gaze. No, no! He's just feeling like that because he didn't get the reaction he wanted... Moonjumper was just lying to you and Snatcher would release you any day now!

Snatcher's face goes back to its standard grumpy exterior as he leans to the side resting his chin on his claws. "If it gets you to stop asking me about then fine! We're friends now!" He snaps, giving in to your declaration of friendship. You gasp, your mouth opening and forming one of the largest smiles you could muster. After about a month or so of being here in the damp forest with only really the sadistic ruler as your company... You finally managed to befriend him.

You squeal unable to contain your happiness and in the heat of the moment, you wrap your arms around his torso. "Oh! Thank you so much, Snatcher!" You giggle, nuzzling his stomach a little This was an important step in your investigation indeed, and you had finally done it!

The ghost in your arms chokes on his own breath, as his incorporeal body turns as stiff as a rock. You open your eyes moving your face away from his stomach, confused by why he was acting like this. You shift your gaze up to look at his face. His mouth hung open with his eyes completely opened wide.

"Uhhh... Your time for a break just ran out!" He hurriedly told you, quickly grabbing you with his arms and setting you down on the ground with such speed that you nearly got whiplash from it. You look at him with your forehead wrinkling. What? Did the hug bother him that much that he had to get you off of him right that second?

The next second, a contract pops into existence in front of you, a standard one. You didn't heed much attention to it, signing it and gathering your notebook.

While you didn't get to actually question him about anything, you think you still gained a lot out of it... He finally admitted the two of you were friends after all! And you could hopefully write off him liking you... Right? But there was a doubt... You heard what he said... you saw how nervous that hug made him... Could you really pretend that the possibility of him liking you was out of the question?

If he likes you that definitely made Moonjumpers statement so much more believable... But he didn't explicitly say anything about him having a crush on you, did he?

You sigh... Moonjumper did say that you could visit him at that broken bridge at any time. You clench the notebook in your hands grimacing at the thought. But your curiosity was digging at the spot your soul used to be.

You wouldn't be able to rest unless you asked him about this, would you?

You needed to know if snatcher wanted to be more than just friends.

And if he does...

God knows, what you would do...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Right at the point of where the winter took hold on the land, you waited. Standing on the bridge with the fog obscuring your vision around you. It was creepy you had to admit, especially so when you were about to meet that weirdo again. You did have to wonder if it would be better to go back to the beginning of the bridge the spot you were before... You were at the end of the first half of the bridge... in between the broken bridge was a rather large gap but you were sure you could jump it if you really wanted too...

"Ah, yes! My dear, (Y/N) has returned to me!" You could recognize that smooth high pitched voice anywhere... You look up from the abyss beneath you only to see Mr. No legs floating above it all. It was almost a surreal to see someone levitating on such a dangerous drop that would kill even the toughest of people if they fell inside.

As if being suddenly aware of the danger you took a step away from the edge of the bridge, and you cross your arms. "Hi, Moonjumper..." You sigh, you still were a little sore from the last time you spoke to him. You hoped that he wasn't that upset about you storming out last time. While you did think that your reaction was a little mean, but he also insulted you and snatcher so you didn't think it was uncalled for.

The spirit's sharp grin turned ever larger the second you said his name. He puts his long narrow fingers together tapping them against one another. "Not a word has been spoken to me since you left me, my (Y/N)! Only the whisperings of the trees!" His unblinking eyes bored into you, with a desire for attention.

A smudge of guilt wells up inside of you. No one? "Do you not talk to anyone else but me?" Your eyes narrow, with a frown forming on your face. You were a bit concerned for the ghost in that case.

Moonjumper nods his head making his hands come together to form a nice clap sound. "Ah yes! No one else has conversed with me for many, many years! Hehehehe! The fact you came makes my dead heart jump with joy!" A light breeze moves his long tattered coat to the side, making him look rather majestic in a way, At least as majestic as a corpse can be.

Well... That certainly explains a lot. If he was isolated with no one else to talk to, that explains his rather bizarre behavior and just overall craziness. What a pity that he decided to make you the one he decided to talk to though. "Well... Moonjumper maybe you should find someone else you can talk, too? I'm going to have to leave sooner or later and you're going to be alone again." You didn't hate the guy and you would love to get more notes on him but you also didn't want him to think that you would be a permanent fixture in his life Err... or more accurately afterlife.

His large smile extends but his eyes, his eyes do not smile back at you. He shakes his head, and he rested his cheek in the palm of his hand. "Hehehehe! Have you already forgotten the words I have spoken to you, (Y/N)?" His eyes dilate and looking down at you with pity and an almost hunger in his gaze. "Snatcher would never let you leave! You're stuck here forever and ever!"

You clench your teeth from his statement, and your eyes wince. Does he really have to remind you of his grim prophecy like that? "Yeah... I remember that Moonjumper..." You say, scratching the back of your head. It was hard not to remember him getting so close to you and telling you such a horrible thing.

Your nervousness was not lost on the lonely ghost, as he floated closer to you, gazing curiously at your changed mood. "Ask me, do you believe me now, my (Y/N)? Has Snatcher's secret finally shown itself to you?" His voice went quieter, softer like he was trying to gently ease the answer out of you.

You look down to the gray stone breathe you, and you rub the bottom of your shoe against it. "I... well, Let's just say that I... think it's more plausible now..." You twiddle your thumbs, a bit embarrassed that you doubted Moonjumper's omen so blatantly the last time the two of you met. You shouldn't have been so unwilling to accept his statement.

The zombie floats a bit to the side of where he was before, his soul-piercing gaze still on your form. "Ah! That is progress indeed! For you to believe me, something truly special must have happened." You can taste the wonder in that statement. The "I want you to tell me" undertone to his words but you didn't exactly feel like humoring him. You had a reason for your visit and you wanted to get to the point as quickly as possible.

"Moonjumper... I uhhh... Do you know why Snatcher might want to keep me here forever with him?" You tilt your head up, finding the creepy fog much more appealing to look at. You bite your tongue gently, nervous and worried.

"Hmmmmm...?" Comes from the undead's throat in a teasing manner. "I know lots of things my dear! I observe this forest with an unwavering eye indeed!" The broken monocle on his face had his finger brought down upon it with a giggle. "The only things I cannot see are the feelings and ideas kept inside!"

A small frown finds your face and you sigh, "Oh, well... Thank you anyway..." He must not have any information on that, then. How unfortunate for you... Moonjumper's smile widens as he holds out one finger waving it back and forth, causing his chains to rattle. "Oh, no my dear! His true motivations are plain as day when it comes to you!" You tense up from those words. It's easy to tell? Does that mean your just ignoring signs or something?

He puts away his wagging finger gently clasping his hands around on another. "Ah, yes! My (Y/N), you must have noticed it by now indeed!" A bigger emptiness then the one already inside of you makes your stomach sink. Please no... You pray that he is isn't implying what you think he's implying. You turn to Moonjumper, pressing your lips against each other. "Does he..." You lick your lips, dreading the answer to your question "-like me?"

The ghosts closes his smile as he leans into you, holding his hand up. He stops closer than you would like, and he gently taps the end of your nose with his finger. "Bingo!" Everything stops around you. He... likes you? He really does like you? Those words refuse to enter your mind. Refuse to be thought of as the truth. There's... There's no way! Snatcher... Snatcher couldn't...

"Shhhhh-" Moonjumper's alluring and soothing voice comes back with a pillow embrace for your ears. Fingers gently comb through your tangled overworked hair. "My (Y/N) There's no need to panic. Breathe my dear... " You take a deep breath, trying to follow his instructions... trying to calm down, but it failed. You clasp your hands over your mouth, and you step back from Moonjumper.

"I-i.." You stammer you can hardly think due to the lack of oxygen you're getting from your shallow breaths. "B-but I don't like him back..." You say as if that would ever get in his way. He is a tyrannical ruler that takes people's souls and then murders them. Did you really think that that little detail was going to stop him?

Relief explodes out of the ghosts eye, as a genuine wholesomeness attaches itself to his grin. His entire body jerks back. "Ah yes yes! My oh my! I was so worried that you would share that meddlesome shadows feeling! Hahahahaha!" The undead laughs like a great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

You wearily take a further step back from the mad laughing spirit. You can feel your heart sink somehow even further in your chest. You didn't like that. You didn't like how excited he got from hearing you didn't like snatcher. "U-uhhh... Moonjumper?" You said, uncertain if you should even speak up.

His laughter dies down, a wistful sigh exiting his lips as his eyes stare half-lidded into yours. "My dear sweet, (Y/N)... You don't want to spend eternity with that Snatcher, right?" Every syllable was delectable and hypnotizing, with a fair dash of charisma for flavor. His voice was a delicious handmade chocolate cake made by a gourmet baker... and you loved the taste of it.

"I-I... Yes..." Something about it made you want to answer him. Want to tell him whatever you wanted to know. All of the stress and worry you had about his burst of laughter faded entirely. "I... I don't want to be with Snatcher... " You look down at the ground, all of the hope you had of becoming a true paranormal investigator hanging by a thread. If you weren't able to leave you would never be able to go around and investigate mysteries and supernatural activity.

Being with Snatcher... would mean you could never be what you always wanted to be.

Moonjumper's eye twinkles curves upwards, with a small giggle exiting him. "What if I told you, there was another path than the one you tread on?" A small amount of hope is resurrected by those words, and you stare at him, the fire in your eyes slowly returning. "W-what?" You call out, taking a step closer to the blue corpse, getting right up next to him "W-what's the other path?" Every last inch of you prayed that he meant the other path was escaping. Maybe he intended on helping you get out of here? Maybe, he could sneak you out?

Moonjumper's eyes soften at you, floating an inch closer to you, invading your personal bubble. "My sweet dear (Y/N), can you feel it?" You move your foot back, about to increase the distance between the both of you. Moonjumper's arms throw themselves out, his hands placing themselves firmly on the small of your back as he brings you closer. "Can you hear my still heartbeat again?"

What is this guy doing? Does he think you would be okay with him hugging you out of nowhere like that? Your eyes widen, and you reel your arms back about to push him off of you, but you feel a solid thump come from his chest. You freeze in place. He has a heartbeat... He has a heartbeat?! You turn your nose up as your face scrunches up, just thinking of his destroyed heart pumping in and out, his rotting blood.

"My (Y/N)... Do you wish to know why?" His voice is a whisper staying just as tender and sweet as before like he wasn't even reacting to the disgust on horror playing on your features. "This long-dead organ in me... It beats again! It has a reason when you are here with me!" The color drains from your face, as your mouth plops open, D-did you hear him right? W-was he...?

Moonjumper presses his lips together, forming them into a small smile as his eyelids half-closed."I can feel your own heart racing, my (Y/N). I ask am I the cause of that? Is your heart beating for me?" Any hope you had about him helping you disappeared in an instant. Heat raises on your features and adrenaline hits you like a runaway train.

You throw your arms forward, and you push your hands hard against his chest. The ghost lets go of you and you stagger back, staring at him with weary unblinking eyes. "W-what?" You can't process this. Why would he even...? The corners of the ghost's mouth turn down as a flash of anger splashes inside of his usable eye. "How rude of you!" From the fingertips of the zombie, red strings sprout out, and your entire body tenses up, staring at the strings bewildered.

In the blink of an eye, the threads zip forward, wrapping themselves around your wrists and tugging you back to him. You yip in surprise as you hit the chest of the ghost once again, the sting on your wrists forcing your arms around him. His decaying face was even more disturbing than when you first met him. You now knew what he wanted from you and that made the experience all the more shocking.

"Ah, yes! Snatcher must still have some part of you! Don't worry, we can sever those ties together! Hahahaha!" The body's mouth curls back up into a smile, his rage from earlier entirely gone. "My darling (Y/N), just agree to stay with me in horizon and Snatcher will be nothing more than just a bad memory!"

The red on your face goes a shade darker, not even knowing what you could say to him in this situation. If you rejected him, it would be easy for him to wrap these threads around your neck... A whimper exits your mouth, your arms shaking inside of their red twine prisons. A soft light blue appears on your captors face.

"Awww... have I left you speechless, my love?" You flinch from hearing him call you his love. His long spindly fingers brush away the loose pieces of hair covering your forehead. "Nothing to worry about. I can do all of the talking for us..." He leans in and soft warm lips hit your uncovered skin. You wince as you struggle against the lips on your head, praying that someone! Anyone would save you!

Glass shattering, then the sound of an explosion rings in your ears, and something cold and wet splashes against parts of your face. Moonjumper's lips leave your face as an ear-piercing screech erupts from him. Your eyes shoot open, only being able to see a purple cloud of smoke in front of you. The purple fades into a blue as the strings on your wrists retreat, the warmth of the corpse leaving your body entirely.

"You may think that the embrace of death is the coldest thing there is, but I can assure you my hatred is a thousand times colder." Your eyes widen as a gasp falls out of your mouth. You knew that voice. You had that voice insult you, make you laugh, tease you... for over a month now. You glance behind you, your eyes lighting up slightly from seeing his tall shadow form. "Snatcher..." You softly muttered, unsure about how you should feel about him saving you. His yellow glaring eyes dart to you, his eyes softening. Just from his eyes, you could hear the questions bubbling up inside of him.

How did you get here?

Why were you with him?

Why was he kissing your forehead?

You could from the look on his face that he wanted to know the answer to all of these questions.

A sarcastic hateful snickering comes from in front of you, and you turn your head back forward. The blue smoke starts dissipating in the air, and Moonjumpers form becomes visible, his hands clenching his face. "Ah, yes! Of course, the prince came in to save his beloved!" You raise an eyebrow at him confused about why he was calling Snatcher a prince. Shouldn't he call Snatcher a king considering he's the ruler of the forest?

Snatcher's eyes rip themselves away from you, turning as sharp as a dagger at the laughing mad man. "First, you say the skyline of my forest is your's and now you're trying to claim my servant as well?! Well too bad! They trespassed in MY forest! They are MY property!" The shadow shrinks down, disappearing from view. You glance around trying to see where he popped back up only to feel, an arm scoop you up.

His arm rested right underneath your upper thighs, acting as a chair as he raises you up to his collar The front of your body presses itself against him and your eyes widen as your hand parts one of his spikes, the texture feeling like hair. You did not expect that...

"Hahahaha! Them being property doesn't mean that they want to belong to you!" Moonjumpers argues, his voice more high pitched then it was before. "I'm sure you remember being forced to be someones as well, Snatcher?" While you couldn't see him right now you could just picture the snide mocking smile on his face when he said that. Although, you didn't know why... Did Snatcher, have someone force him to love them in the past? You wish you could jolt all of this down, you might be getting some important puzzle pieces to what Snatchers past is.

The ghost underneath you tenses up from that line, a low growl emerging from him. "I'm NOTHING like her! Now get the HECK out of my sight!" A deep erupting comes from behind you and a rainbow of colors reflect on Snatchers dark purple body. You raise your head off of him, wanting to see what was happening but snatchers other arm comes forward and presses your face back down, and his claw combs through your hair.

"Hahahaha! This is far from over prince!" He taunts, and the curiosity of what that rainbow attack was eats at you. "I'll see you again, my (Y/N)!" The way he said your name sent a shiver of disgust crawling down your spine. You bury your face into Snatchers spikes of hair as you wrapped your arms around him, almost trying to hide from your unwanted love interest.

Snatcher's claws leave your hair and he wraps his arms around your waist. "You know, I haven't had someone cuddle up to me like this in a long time! You are either very brave or very stupid kiddo!" He chuckles out, making you wince a little. He likes you too... and even if he's much less forward about it he's making you stay here with him, forever.

He's just less crazy than Moonjumper about it.

"Actually, on second thought, I don't think kid or kiddo suits you anymore. I called Hat brat that and you are anything but that annoying little twerp." The ghost ponders, looking up towards the sky. You raise your head up, staring at him, with a bad feeling rising in your stomach. "Hmm...You managed to make even that nasty puppet care about you... It would take someone very sweet to do anything like that..." He gazes down at you before chuckling and leaning his head closer to you. "Sweetheart."

Your face flushes, and dart your eyes away from him. "I-I..." You wanted to say you didn't like it, you wanted to say that you prefer being called kid, but your brain and your mouth weren't connecting and you couldn't produce the words out of your mouth. The ghost smirks down at you, and he brings his claw up, dragging it gently down the side of your face. "Sweetheart it is!"

A small whimper of protest comes from your mouth, as your mind pleased with him like he could read your thoughts. Snatcher chuckles, removing his claw from your face. "Anyways, sweetheart! Now that that's out of the way! I believe that you have some explaining to do!" Anger hits inside of his voice suddenly his mood almost completely changing from the gentle flirty one he had before.

You gulp, looking up to see his eyes point down words in a glare. "I want you to tell me every detail about why you know that no good freeloader, got it?" You quickly nod your head, knowing that there is nothing worse than upsetting an already angered Snatcher. The anger reminds you of the good old days, the first days you were here with him. He had such an easy to trigger temperament but now he would hardly yell at you in serious anger like this...

It had been a while since you last saw this, and you know the reason why... But even still...

Why did he have to fall in love with you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I have totally screwed myself! Talking to that idiot Moonjumper is one thing but having him all over me like that was a horrible violation of Snatchers awesome contracts! I am his servant! Not that blue moon weirdo's! From signing this I hereby totally agree to never talk to Moonjumper, the worst looking ghost in the forest!"

You stare down at the contract in your hands, in complete disbelief. What? Did he seriously never want you to speak with Moonjumper again? Even for Snatcher, this contract seems a little extreme. "Snatcher, are you sure this is necessary?" You say, raising your eyes back up to him.

The glare on his face could cut through steel. "It's as necessary as you getting all buddy-buddy with Moonjumper was!" You wince from how harsh his tone was. You don't think you've ever seen Snatcher this livid about anything before...

You weren't even intending on ever seeing Moonjumper again. Why would you when he kissed your forehead like that? Just the thought of it made your face go pale. But something was holding you back from enthusiastically signing it.

He has never given you a contract that wasn't either giving him something or doing a task for him... You've never had him... force you to sign a contract about not doing something... He never even made you sign anything about not going into the frostbitten part of his forest, he just warned you about it but he felt so strongly about this that he decided to give you a contract...

That's not a good sign...

You could tell from the fire in his eyes that he was dead serious about this, and in spite of the horrible precedent, it would set you couldn't handle the idea of facing snatchers wrath so soon after... the Moonjumper incident happened.

If you have to stay with him you need to get on his good side. Maybe, just maybe you could convince him to let you go. Or you could at least have an easier time escaping...

You had to leave at some point. There's no way that he can manage to make you stay here forever. You knew it was slim but you still needed to have hope. You couldn't give into despair yet! You just have to wait it out.

"Okay, Snatcher I'll sign the contract..." The ink curved as you write your name with the pen. You never really signed that many things before you met Snatcher. The only thing you had to sign was your membership with the mafia but that was quite a long time ago. It's funny to think how different your life would have been if you never met Hat Kid...

She reminded you of your childhood dreams. She was the one that turned the other cheek and forgave you for your crimes. And you would never be able to repay her for that.

If you could survive working in the mafia, you could survive this. At least... that's what you hoped. He couldn't get any worse than this right? Snatcher didn't seem like the lovey-dovey type and considering how long it took him to admit he was your friend it was more than likely not going to confess any time soon. You just have to survive...

"Good choice, sweetheart!" Snatcher's voice cuts through your thoughts as the piece of paper in front of you disappears. "As a reward, I'll give you your most favorite thing in the world! Another contract!" The corners of your mouth raise with that line. He's acting like he normally does... He's not acting weird or flirty or something... He's back to being the snarky, mean ghost you loved writing about.

Another contract appears before you. Clean the forest! Blah blah blah... You already got this one countless times. Rake the leaves, pick up any garbage... you knew this contract like the back of your hand. "Back to this then..." You mumble, signing your name at the bottom once again. This was one of your least favorites of the frequent contract. Raking the dang leaves took far too much time.

"Yes, back to the boring tidying up!" The paper in front of you disappears and a rake fills up the space the paper once took up. "Sorry! Not all of them can be exciting! Don't bore your brain out of your skull!" This is the way you like Snatcher, yelling at you to get a contract done. The teasing and rudeness with the subtle taste that underneath it that he just wanted to be friends. This is what you wish your relationship with him was still like... But now the subtle taste had turned into a much too sweet, the 'I like you' flavor was in full force.

You grab the rake out of the air and sigh shaking your head. "Yeah... Yeah...Whatever, shadow boy!" The only part of this contract that you would enjoy was the fact that you would be alone for the majority of the time with it and lord knows that you needed some time for your own thoughts. You turn around and step on the thorn-covered vine and balance as you cross it easily. Alright, so the first step is cleaning up the leaves that Snatcher's tree sheds. You look back towards the tree and your thought process stops dead in its tracks. Why...Why wasn't Snatcher still inside of his tree?

Snatcher always sits down and reads during this contract... It's just you cleaning up for crying out loud! Why did he leave the tree? You shrug your shoulders shaking your head, you shouldn't overthink it. You already have enough crap to think about. You turn around taking a step in front of you, only to wince when your body hits something soft and warm.

"You fool! Watch where you're going!" Your eyes widen as you quickly take a step back. You look in front of you only to see the exact same ghost that previously took up space in your mind. "S-snatcher! Why are you here?" You yelled, your face turning beet red from embarrassment. Snatcher was right you should have watched where you were going.

Snatcher averts his eyes, crossing his long arms and looking around at the scenery around him. "Well, someone's actions have made it impossible for me to trust that they won't run away with some one-eyed casanova!" He turns his eyes back to you, his left claw tapping on his arm impatiently.

Your eyes narrow at his accusation as frustration ran through you veins. You already signed his stupid no speaking contract, but now he can't even leave you alone for a second to do your job? "Look, Snatcher! I don't even consider Moonjumper a friend! He's just a creep! Why the heck would I like him enough to run away with him?" You explain, hoping that something could get through his thick skull... Even though he doesn't have a real skull.

Snatcher rolls his imaginary pupils, and he points his claw down at you. "Even so I know Moonjumper is strong enough to tie you up and take you to his so-called horizon! You're lucky I'm protecting you! Lord knows that you would hate to have another of his disgusting forehead kisses." The sarcasm stung, his words all passive-aggressive landmines covered only by a small tarp with the words 'totally not a landmine' written on it in crayon.

Your lips pressed together as you eyebrows went lower on your forehead. He did have a point with Moonjumper possibly kidnapping you. He does seem like just a second away from needing a straight jacket. "Snatcher, if you have to have someone watch over me why don't you get one of your Subconites to do it?" You were sure that one of those guys could get warn him much faster than Moonjumper could steal you away.

His claws dug into his arms from those words as his glare sharpened. "You think I didn't think of that idea already, sweetheart? The idea is far too risky! Just accept that for the near future all of your contracts have some co-op teamwork!" He unfolds his arms pointing a claw at himself. "I'm the team!" He redirects the claw towards you will a light playful smirk gracing his features. "You're the work!"

Wait, all of your contracts? The colors leave your face. "But..." You start, your mouth so dry that the word almost didn't come out. "Y-you always have me doing at least one contract..."Is he really planning on staying with you 24/7? You know he has a crush on you and everything but isn't staying with you every second just a bit ridiculous? There's no way he's actually thinking about doing that... right?

Snatcher's mouth raises into a cocky smile, as his eyebrow raises."Hahahaha! You say that like you wouldn't love to spend more time with me! I'm granting a wish for you, sweetheart!"

Your eyes widen, as your heart sinks in your chest. He wasn't deflecting it, he wasn't saying your idea was completely ridiculous and teasing you about being worried. "Snatcher, please I like having time to myself!" You plead hitting him with a puppy dog face and praying that he would listen to you for once.

The shadow cackles clearly not finding your puppy dog face as irresistible as you hoped. "Sweetheart, you lost those privileges the second you started speaking to Moonjumper! " You stare at snatcher, with your jaw dropping to the floor.

You couldn't even comprehend this new... protective side of Snatcher. Before all of this, he didn't seem to even care if you live or die... Actually, he did care but it was more in the "I wonder how I can make you perish" type of way. To see this neurotic other side of him... It was surreal.

Was this... was this how he showed love?

"B-but-" You stammer out, you wanted to fight this idea. You didn't want to have to live with snatcher breathing down your neck but no other arguments were present inside of your head.

He shakes his head. "No butts, sweetheart! I will not allow any negotiations on this!" Your eyes widen, you had never argued against doing something for the spirit before this. He did make you pretty much a slave the second you got here and you didn't want to go against him on your quest to befriend and learn more about the spirit. You accepted everything he told you to do. You didn't even know how to effectively protest against him...

"I-i...Okay..." You cowered out, unable to argue against it any more. Snatchers mouth forms into a pleased grin. "Good choice, Sweetheart! Now, go on! Those leaves aren't going to clean themselves up!" You clench the handle of the rake tightly. You wish you could have fought back against him more... but he couldn't have anything worse up his sleeve, right? He's just being overly protective.

He couldn't possibly make this situation get any worse for you right?

....Right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wait... What?" You swear you must have a couple of cotton balls sticking in your earlobes because there's no way you just heard him right!

Snatchers tall lanky body sat down in his red chair, beckoning you over with his hand. "Sweetheart, When I read I can't keep my eyes on you. Who knows what Moonjumper could pull in that timeframe? If you're on my lap I can keep an eye on you and still read my favorite book! That's why from now on-" He pats the top of his lap." -You get the best seat in the house!"

"Snatcher... Please, the couple of seconds you can't see me aren't enough for Moonjumper to do anything!" You didn't want to sit on his lap... You knew what covert game he was playing this time. You can see the excitement in his eyes when he merely directed you to take a seat. He already spends every waking moment with you didn't want to feed his crush even more from his request!

Snatcher's lips pressed together, his face tilting upwards towards the sky. "You really think that you know Moonjumper better than me? Sweetheart, I have had to deal with this creep for so many years that your grandma was not even born when our rivalry started!" He brings his eyes back down to you, lazily resting his ghostly cheek in his claws. "You need to understand that I know what I am doing, sweetheart. Now get your butt over here before I have drag you here myself!"

You gulp, feeling the world around tremble from the might of the ruler's voice. You wanted to fight back, you wanted to scream out how this was outrageous and unfair. At Least for the following you everywhere thing he had an excuse. This though? This is just you indulging him in his feelings for you.

"S-snatcher, please calm down..." You shrink back, the thought of sitting back down on his lap was more than unappealing to you nowadays...

"If you don't get on top of me in five seconds, the only thing you'll be telling to calm down is the fires of hell!" You cringe from that line. You knew he probably didn't have it in him to kill you but the way he said that made the statement more than believable. You sigh, you were going to have to give in to his request again weren't you? You felt so powerless. You couldn't even stand up to the ghost before he would yell at you and you would fall right back in line from it.

"Fine... Fine..." And in an instant, you were already back to saying yes to everything he said. What can you say? You were afraid of conflict.

You hesitantly walk forward, regretting each and every one of your steps. You reach the scarlet chair and you pause. It's not too late! Maybe you should just tell him that you don't feel the same way right now? You wouldn't have to deal with this... "Sweetheart, you wouldn't happen to be nervous right?" Your eyes widen, the tip of his words blade was covered in playful flirtation. "Oh don't worry, I won't bite... much!"

You look down to the floor the pink rushing to your cheeks. It felt so wrong from him to talk to you like that... He's Snatcher. Snatcher is playful sometimes yes but he's never been so overly flirty before.

"Hahaha! I guess you need a helping hand, sweetheart!" The ghosts hands go underneath your armpits hoisting you up and placing you down right smack dab in the middle of his lap. You tense upon contact, your toes curling as you closed your eyes. Just try not to think of what was happening. Try not to think of what he feels for you. Try not to think-

The ghosts claw hand comes up, making his book glide along with the air and land in his eager claws. He opens the book, just as his other sharp claws brush your scalp. "Stop being so tense sweetheart! Just relax, you're distracting me from my book!" His words were soft and luscious, much more calming and nice then you were used too. To hear these kinds of words come from him though, it made your stomach tie itself into knots.

The hand leaves the top of your head, moving down and pushing you gently back. You stare down at his claw, they were rather sharp things. If he wanted to he could rip you apart piece by piece with those things alone. He's powerful. He's dangerous. He could kill you without a single thought.

Without the exchange of a word, you slowly leaned back, only stopping when you hit his shadowy being. A soft sigh of relief exits the ghost's mouth as his arm comes around to wrap itself across your stomach. "That's a good servant." He whispers, making your blush even harsher than before. The arm snuggles into you, unmoving and unrelenting. They did not intend to leave you for a long time.

Just like how Snatcher didn't intend to ever let you leave.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Claws stroking through your hair. Warmth coming from the being below you. Your arms wrapped around the shadows torso. It's been over a month since the infamous Moonjumper incident occurred, and your life has been in a downward spiral. The shade flipped the page to his book, clearing his throat before reading out loud the words on the page. This was your life. This is what your life has become.

You shifted your vision up, looking at the face of your captor. His yellow eyes glowed a little brighter than they used to his smile was much more authentic than before. He... He really did love you didn't he?

It hurt... It hurts so much to know that Moonjumper was telling the truth. Why couldn't it have been a lie? Why did it have to be you? His happiness was salt in your already open wounds.

It had been a month. A full month since you say anyone else but your captor. The only times you saw someone else then Snatcher was on your occasional mail runs, but even then Snatcher now decided to come with you for those trips making any communication with his Subconites next to impossible.

Your hope... your determination dwindled every day. Was it... even that bad to stay here with him? He was nicer than he's ever been to you now. Sure he still was a grumpy, mischievous thing but he tried to be someone a bit better to remember, but a dull pain thumped in your heart. You didn't feel the same. He just wasn't your type.

"I know right? What a view!" You are brought back to reality. Snatchers amused facial features took up your vision, staring back at you with a relaxed grin. You avert your eyes, a light blush appearing on your cheeks. He was so flirty with you now. always giving some sarcastic smirk as he teased you about one thing or another...

It was like he was pretending you two were already dating. The shadow chuckles as he twirls your hair around with his claws. "Hahaha! It gets better every time!" You grumble under your breath at his cocky attitude. "Come on, sweetheart! You don't even try to fight back against me! Maybe you should fight my fire with your own!" Your features transform into a grimace.

You couldn't even count the times he tried to get you to flirt back at him anymore. This was one of his few suggestions that he didn't force you to do. This was the only point you could be defiant on and you were going to milk it for all it was worth.

"I... I'm too tired too..." You hold your hand up, doing a fake yawn into it. This was an excuse you used numerous times, but Snatcher never seemed to want to fight it. In fact, he almost welcomed it. The corners of his enormous smile go up further, as his eyes soften at you.

"You should sleep then, sweetheart! Look, you're already on your bed." Your teeth bite down on your lip as your forehead crumples. You couldn't even sleep on your own anymore. A couple of days ago he decided that you sleeping anywhere else but on him was too dangerous so your bed became his own warm lap. You knew what he was doing, he had that look of interest in his eyes. But it's not like you could even fight back against it.

You couldn't fight back against anything.

You nod your head at him, wanting to keep up the tired act and you lean your face back into the ghosts warmth. Is this what the rest of your eternity was going to be like? Just acting like a pet to this soul-stealing phantom. The ghost's voice picks back up where he left upon the page, and your eyes get harder to keep open. Your eyelids win in the end, causing you to shut your eyes as you drift into a dreamless sleep.

"Hey sweetheart, Wake up!" Snatchers irate and crabby voice booms in your eardrum, making your hair stands on its end as your body jerks awake. "W-what?' Flops out of your mouth in confusion. He's never woken you up like this before. He usually just lets you sleep until you want up naturally in his arms. He maybe would elbow you awake but he never yelled at you like a drill sergeant.

You could tell that the ghost looked anything but happy from the scowl on his face. "Someone triggered one of my traps..." Snatcher announced with his teeth clenched and irritation from the very core of the idea. "Some trespasser thought it would be a great idea to come into my forest so I have to go and teach him whos in charge around here!" Your eyes light up, that means that someone else is here beside you. Maybe whoever it was came to save you!

You have been gone for a while, maybe they finally started sending out search parties to find you. "Can I come?" You ask smiling as cutely as you possibly could. You needed to know who was the person that showed up. Perhaps, if it was someone close to you snatcher would realize that you have other important people in your life and let you go.

The ghost blinks his eyes at your request before, grabbing you by the armpits and setting you on the ground. "I would love to take you with me sweetheart but I don't think this filth deserves to see my number one errand boy!" The smile on your face fades slightly at those words until a wave of shock combs over you. "W-wait, you're leaving me?" It sounded too good to be true. Is he really letting you be alone?

A sigh falls out of the shade as he rises out of his chair. "Unfortunately, you are correct. I'd love nothing more than to be able to steal his soul from here but I have to show him how much he screwed up coming here!" You look down at the wooden floor, trying your hardest to hide the happiness threatening to emerge on your features. "Oh..." You whisper with only your shock being conveyed in the word. His claw comes up messing with the top of your head.

"I'll be back before you can blink!" The claw on your head moves lower grasping your chin and tilting your head up. Snatchers long body was hunched over, his glowing features inches away from you. Red takes up your face and a small whimper comes from your mouth. You were tempted to back up, but you were a deer caught in Snatchers headlights. A million thoughts went into your head at once but none of them were coherent. They were all just panicking about the position that you were both in.

The spirit leans forward and your blood goes ice cold as you feel his lips press against your forehead. All goes silent inside of your mind as your brain scrambles to understand what even just occurred. Snatcher pulls back smirking at your reaction. "Hahahaha! Just a little something to remember me by! Now stay here and stay put! I have a pest to get rid of." His claw hand leaves your face as his shadowy form shrinks into the floor.

You throw your hands over your mouth staggering back. H-he kissed your forehead? O-oh no, he's making an active move on you now! You could tell that he was trying to get you to take the hint about his feelings from the flirting and the gentle caresses but this?! This was blatant. This was something that was going to be much harder to pretend you were oblivious towards.

It's okay, (Y/N)... Just keep it together... You can still work with this. Everything will be fine. You steady your breathing removing your hands from your face. You finally had some time alone from him. You had time to think about your response to it.

Suddenly, something clasps over your eyes, clear fingers pressing onto your face. "Guess who!" Your nails dig into the palm of your hand, as you turn into a statue where you stood. T-that voice... It was Moonjumper! You grab the hands covering your eyes and throw them off of you. You turn around, only to meet the blue corpses face right up next to yours. "Did you miss, my love?"

A shiver goes down your spine from his nickname as you take a step back. Your teeth clench you weren't supposed to be around him! If Snatcher came back and saw him even remotely around you, he would pop Moonjumpers head off for sure.

The corpse tilts his head looking at your reaction inquisitive. "What? Do I not even get a peep out of you my love?" Your mouth pressed firmly together before you mime an imaginary zipper going across your mouth.

Moonjumper laughs as hand slaps his own cheek. "Ah yes! He made you sign that contract about not speaking to me! Silly me!" His unmoving grin only went wider as his eyes curve upwards. His one pupiled eye seemed to stare into the empty part of you that your soul used to be.

"Hehehehe! I missed you quite a lot indeed!" His hands come together and the rattling of his chains sounds around the tree. "I ought to get to the point, my love! I have never seen Snatcher so protective over another before!" You glance away from him, looking at the patterns in the ghosts wooden walls. Your situation with Snatcher was getting pretty rough that's for sure...

"Hehehehe! You hate it too I see!" Your toes curl as a small sigh exits your mouth. You did hate it didn't you? You didn't like how much of your time was spent just sitting there with the ghost. His presence made it awkward to write in your notebook and you swear that every day he tries to make your small little pleasure even shorter. It was like he was the only thing he wanted you to pay attention to.

"(Y/N) my love, I came to offer you my deal again." You glance over at him, his hand was outstretched to you, beckoning you to place your own hand inside of it. His voice was sweet, like a banana split. It was like he was pretending that he was trying to help you in your situation but you knew from the hunger in his eyes that it was anything but that.

"You can either stay and be forever a toy to him or you can take my hand and I'll whisk you away!" You had a choice to make. You either stay here with Snatcher or you can go with Moonjumper instead... and you didn't know what the best option in this situation was.

You knew Snatcher and you knew what his love was like but his overly controlling almost obsessive attitude was tearing you apart inch by inch. Moonjumper... the only thing you knew was that he was crazy but... You didn't know if his love would be better or worse than the one that has his clutches around you.

Who do you choose?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moonjumper ending

You didn't know much about the corpse really. You knew that he had a screw loose and had no sense of a personal bubble but beyond that, there wasn't much that you could definitely say. He was rude to you the first time you spoke and he was certainly off-putting with how he spoke and how he treated snatcher.

But you really didn't know much beyond that...

Maybe, you should take this chance? He was a wild card but maybe he would actually let you escape and leave him one day. Snatcher was keen on keeping you his and never letting you out of his sight. Perhaps, he'll be more lenient?

Taking the chance your hand raises up hesitantly moving until it made contact with his. The zombies exhales as if he had been holding his breath. His eye lit up shimmering like you were a genie that just granted all of his wishes. "Ah yes! I knew you would pick me, my love!" He enthusiastically shouts, as his hands clench around your fingers like a mother holding on to their child's hand near a freeway.

Every second the question weighs in your mind. Are you really sure that this is the right decision for you? You pause wanting to take back the hand you just gave, unsure if this was a good idea but his iron vice grip prevented your hand from removing itself. The corpse giggles at the resistance you were putting up towards him. "My love, you've already made your decision." He announces amusement clear in his tone.

His eyes soften looking at you dreamily, as a sigh flops out of his mouth. "You chose to be mine..." His voice was breathless and grateful for your decision. You press your lips together, as you look down at the floor. You had agreed that that hadn't you? He offered a deal for you to be his instead of Snatchers. You either were going to be with a ghost you didn't love or a ghost you didn't love. Talk about a lose-lose situation.

Something cold and metallic snaps itself around your already captured hand's wrist. Your gaze dashes over to it, with a nervous twinge in your eyes. A singular gray shackle was on top of your wrist, announcing its presence with pride. Panic settles inside of you at the sight. Are you his prisoner or something? Why else would he put this in this chain on you?

Your other hand comes down and pulls the hardest it can on the cold metal imprisonment device. The old metal digs into your wrists flesh as you tug, causing a ripple of pain to shoot through you. You grit your teeth, seeing the shackles hold stay strong in spite of your efforts to break it off. His laugh sounds through the air as his hand gently rests on top of your pulling digits. Your eyebrows go up on your forehead, noticing that his wrist was barren of its usual chains. He must have slapped that one on you... But how? Did he have the key for them hidden on him?

He shakes his head at you. "My love don't be so hasty." He scolds, pressing down on your hand and making it impossible for you to escape his hold. A spare finger from his hold brushes the cold surface of the restrainment device. "This is your ticket to coming to my paradise... The Horizon." His words drawled on paradise, swirling his finger on the surface with a dream-like stare.

Your throat dries up leaving nothing left of any sort of moisture. You wanted to speak. You really wanted to speak. You wanted to ask him what he meant by that. You wanted to say something maybe even protest but the shadow of the contract hangs over you, making you unable to say anything.

Moonjumper shifts his gaze over to your face his eyes curving up seeing your face overcome with conflict. "Ah yes!" He muses, mercifully letting both of your hands free. "That horrible contract is starting to get to you right my love?" He takes a step away from you, and you can feel the temptation to run hit you like seeing a delicious cupcake left out alone. Where would run through? To Snatcher? Run into his arms and let yourself be his instead? You didn't want that but you still weren't sure if it would be a safer bet right now.

The ghost tucks his hand behind his back as he massages his forehead. "The funny thing about those contracts of his is that they are a physical real thing... If you seek long enough-" His arm comes out of hiding holding a familiar piece of paper. "-You'll find them indeed!"

You couldn't even believe your eyes, your hands went up covering your mouth as you read the exact same terms and conditions that the Moonjumper contract had you cover before. There was no doubt about it. That was the same contract you signed.

The zombie giggles as a sinister shade hits his orange bullseye eyes. "Ask me, is there anything more worthless to us?" His voice went deeper from before also hissing like a snake at the end of worthless. He places both of his hands on the top of it, ripping it in half with a sadistic smile on his face.

You eyes are glued to the display in front of you, as one of your eyes narrows. You can just rip those things in half? You would think that Snatcher would put some magic spells on then to make them invincible unable to tear or be burned but he didn't. The contract destroyer exhales tilting his head to the sky and throwing both of the useless pieces of the shredded paper on the floor.

They hit the ground and another piece of paper peeks out from underneath the first contract. Wait, he tore up more than one contract? Which contract was that one? "I-I-" You stutter out, not exactly sure if you should be speaking in spite of the contract being broken. It was as if you still didn't trust if that was the real contract... "W-what was that the other contract?" You ask, suddenly feeling... less empty inside than before? Like a spark has just been ignited inside of you. You look down at your chest clutching it, a hole now filled inside of you. Was that... Was that your soul coming back to you?

The corpses face shifts back down, putting his sight on you. He holds his hand up to his own chest, with a gentle twinkle in his features. "No longer a servant, no longer a slave! Free at last from his foul gaze!" His smile was of pure elation as his cheeks went a slightly darker blue. "My love, nothing sits in the way of us anymore!" Quiet came out his words, breathless and unwavering. His eye was a small pinprick, exploding in victory and exhilaration. There was something darker underneath it, an explosive madness that slapped you in the face.

Your lip quivers, a sudden burst of energy inside of you from your soul coming back made your hope of getting away come back in spades. You wanted to fight this. You didn't want to be his. You narrow your eyes as a wave courage spills over you. "Moonjumper, I-" The ghost suddenly shoots towards you wrapping his arms around your waist, any taking your chances of finishing your statement with you.

"That no-good dictator shall be arriving here any second now, my love! Should we let him see your face one more time? See him cry over you? Hehehehehe!" Your mouth opens in horror. Did his personality just switch or something? He never sounded that... sociopathic before. He said that like a kid planning on putting a thumbtack underneath someone's desk. Something inconsequential and silly. Just a little game for his amusement.

Something snapped inside of him.

"M-moonjumper?" You didn't understand the rapid shift, why his eyes had a hunger inside of them now. Why did he look so much more insane than when he was forcibly kissing your forehead? Why did it feel like your newly regained soul was being strangled by his stare?

The madman clenches you tighter, and he tucks your head underneath his chest. You could hear his un beating heart going off like fireworks. A frenzy of rapid beating from the pure adrenaline of his situation. "Three... Two... One..." He mumbled under his breath, as the world around you gets swaddled with sudden chills.

"Nice of you to join us, Snatcher!" He calls out, shoving you even further into his decaying form. A visceral deep growl strikes your very core. The chest of the ghost makes it impossible to see the look on Snatcher's face but you can feel his anger burning into your back. You shove your face even further into the one holding you's chest. You never dared to even think of what a furious Snatcher would be like... and to say that you weren't terrified would be a big fat lie.

"It was a mistake letting you loiter around my forest and it's a mistake I won't let continue any longer!" Before you can even process what's happening, your whole body gets jerked suddenly to the side. The sound of an explosion rings in your ears, as Moonjumper lets out a hearty laugh, clenching you even tighter. "I'm so sorry Snatcher! Looks likes another is going to leave you all alone... All over again!" A slight gasp utters out of your lips. Hat kid left him, just like how she left all of you guys but Snatcher... Snatcher didn't have anyone besides her. Hat kid... was she the reason he was so overprotective of you? Was he just afraid of losing you too? You never thought of it like that before...

You take a sharp breath in as a visceral choking noise comes from the shadow, making guilt strike your heart. His reaction was enough for you to know that your hypothesis was at least somewhat true. Suddenly the world starts spinning, making you feel almost sick to your stomach. "Goodbye Snatcher! You can kiss this human goodbye! Hahahahahaha!" The corpse jeers, the world melting around you as it all turns to black.

Only one thought hit your head. In a sea of uncertainty and terror, one reigned supreme. You hope that Snatcher can find his own happiness.

Reality comes back into frame as the world returns to something tangible to your mind. What was that just now? You've teleported with Snatcher before so that isn't something that normally happens when you teleport... "My love~" He sings into your ears, as he brushes the loose hairs on your forehead. You raise your head off of his chest, looking at the space around you with a hesitant gaze. Colors blend together in perfect harmony, the red harsh tone with the gentle golden rays striking into a lavender that caressed the outside. These multi-colored setting of the sky was the only sight that greeted you here.

There was nothing else you could see...

The ghost holding your form, chuckles from the reaction, as his grip on you slowly starts to fade. You wrap your arms around him, clenching him like he was a stuffed animal and your childhood monsters were creeping up, about to strike you. Your eyes refused to move from the endless void of pastel shades below you. If you fell it looked like you would fall forever...

"Hahahahaha! There's nothing to fear my love. Take a chance and take a fall! A surprise awaits." Your eyes widen, taking a glance at him and staring into his mischievous and devious gaze. The corpse removes his hands off of you, making you dig your nails into his skin as you tighten your grip to the point that if he was alive he surely wouldn't be able to breathe. "W-what are you?" It screams out of your mouth, shock and horror pouring from the seams. W-was he trying to kill you? Was that his plan all alone? Take what Snatcher loves the most and destroy it?

The spirit looks at your struggles in amusement, clearly ignoring the light blood that was spilling from the wounds you made with your nails. He places his hands against your collarbone, and he winks at you, before he shoves you roughly, making your grip lose its place. You scream as you quickly try to grab his coat, but your fingers merely graze the bottoms.

The wind thrashes at your back as you watch Moonjumper grow smaller and smaller in your vision. You can feel your life flash before your eyes. Was this it? Were you going to fall here forever? Before you could ponder it more, all of the air ejects out of your lungs. Something hits your back, hard, like someone just swung a baseball bat into the small of your back. Your teeth clamp, eyes bulging out of your skull. This is how you were going to die. Moonjumper just wanted to kill you and now your body was going to shut down. You would be as dead as the creatures you wanted to study.

But something else happens, the pain subsided nearly instantaneously and you felt a softness engulf you in a tender hold. Almost as tender as the one that...Snatcher would give you. A groan comes from you as your upper body raises up, looking around only to see...

Nothing...

There was nothing around you. The same colorful skyline taunted your eyes. You blink rapidly, one of your hands coming up to rub your eyes, as you look down at the surface you hit, only to see the same thing as before, nothing. Your mouth drops open, not being able to understand why you couldn't see what you were on top of. W-was it invisible or something?

A burst of roaring mad laughter hits your eardrum, nearly making you yip from surprise. "Hehehehe! Ah yes, you can't see anything indeed! Just as I intended it to be!" Your gaze shoots over to the cheering almost elated with his results ghost. The hand rubbing your eyes goes back down, hitting the soft surface just as your body did before, a soft surface that was still naked to your eyes. Your forehead scrunched up as you look at the madman in pure befuddlement.

"I-I... don't understand..." The words trail off, your hands grab at the nothingness below you, calling something up in their hands. There were so many emotions going through you at once. Fear, worry, betrayal, brewed into a cocktail inside of you. You couldn't decipher them. You didn't know how you should feel. The only thing you knew was the was a pit in your stomach that only got wider as the seconds ticked on by.

Moonjumper's smile etches further up his face as he moves closer to you cupping your chin. "The horizon is my domain, and where I am bound to stay. Everything here is something I make!" You throw your head back, inching away from him. This felt like a fever dream. This place couldn't be real, right? No, you must be asleep or something.

He shakes his head, tsking your action, with an entertained aura. "Even when your mine, at last, you still play!" He chuckles, lifting up his still chained wrist up high. "Let your eyes see what I mean, my love!" His wrist flicks, causing the chain to clatter with itself.

Slowly, brown wooden walls, materialize around you. The softness underneath you a red blanket, on a cleanly done bed. Soon, you couldn't even see the skyline outside anymore, all that was left for you to look at was this small humble room. Your breath hitched in your throat. You were speechless. H-he... He just made this whole place invisible.

H-how?

Your lip quivered as the zombie's face moved closer to yours, searching your emotions with an unchanging grin. "Who knew that this show was so much better up close?" Your nose crinkles up at that comment. He was getting so much joy out of your terror and shock... It made you wonder what else he would do just to see that expression on your face. You turn away from him trying to ignore cold sweat going down your forehead.

"Y-you can... control everything?" You pick at the blanket underneath you, looking down at something you could at least comprehend. His digits rest on top of your unruly hand gently rubbing it. Your eyes begrudgingly look back up at his creepy unblinking eye. He tilts his head at you as his fingers increase their pressure, sinking into your hand. "Ah yes! I can will any object to appear but that's not the main attraction my love!"

He turns away from you, gesturing at the blank, plain wall in front of him. Inch by inch the wall disintegrates, making you stare into the lightly colored void. He glances back at you, tapping right underneath his eye."The horizon has given me the gift of being able to see anything happening below! Let me allow your eyes to see what I mean!"

His fingers rub together producing a snapping sound as the colors of the sky melt. The soft shades shift into darker ones. Your eyes focus on the rapidly changing palette, with a curious gaze. The colors shuffle around stopping as a picture starts to form.

Dark purple trees sharpen into view as the horizon adds more details. The lanterns sway on their branches. The grass sways in the breeze. It looked so realistic as if you were really their once again. Your jaw drops as the sound of the wind plays in the bedroom. The same gust you would hear in the forest you had dwelled in for so long. Your eyes become pinpricks as your stomach ties itself into a bow tie.

Why did it hurt just to see part of that forest?

You stayed there for so long. Doing every task that Snatcher gave you with a smile. You were so passionate then so filled with love and excitement. You write in your journal endlessly about your surroundings and your theories on the various parts of the forest. All of that was snuffed out the second that Snatcher started to follow you around everywhere.

Your heart aches as the memories seep through your heart. You were nostalgic for simpler times. When you would joke about something with snatcher and you would get just an angry scowl back. You missed how he would talk about killing you like you were nothing to him. When he wouldn't admit the two of you had some sort of bond but you could clearly tell he did...

A tear trickles down your cheeks and you wipe it away with your sleeve. You really miss that Snatcher... And knowing how you left the current Snatcher you had so suddenly like that. Your heart strangles itself just thinking about that tear-jerking choking sound he made.

You can feel another presence rest itself on the bed. "Are you... missing the forest?" Calculated and cold, came out the ghost's voice as if he despised the very thought of you missing the place you dwelled in for so long. The forests dazzling aura and it's beautiful features call out to you from the sky. It almost... felt like home to you.

You wordlessly nod your head. While you missed the forest, over time your love of it waned when snatcher got more controlling but that doesn't mean it didn't still hold some sentimental value for you. Your eyes widen as the picture of the forest before you turn a midnight black in an instant. It was eerie like it was an omen of some sort that was directed at you. The atmosphere dropped like a bowling ball into an endless abyss. An abyss that so happened to be sitting down right next to you. The sound of ripping fluff makes you hesitantly turn your head back over to him.

His fingers were tearing into the blanket underneath him like it was tissue paper as his lips smile at you with a smile that his eyes did not share. "Why would you miss your own prison like that?" He spoke quiet and delicate like a wilting flower but these flower petals were coated in neurotoxin, a potent one that was designed to catch someone off guard. You nervously looked at the bed as his gaze bore into you.

"I-I...was just there for so long..." You trail off, as the word Snatcher pops up in your mind. You weren't used to even being somewhere without him like this. Did that mean you were missing him? Were you so used to him that you actually started growing attached? Fingers enclose themselves around your hand as he lifts it up and presses his lips against it. "Thinking about such a place is a waste of time indeed!"

You shudder from the gesture, attempting to pull your hand back. He chuckles, his eye growing darker as he pulls your hand back, making your body collide with his. Your face hits his chest with a nasty thump and an explosion of pain hits your frontal lobe. You hiss from the stinging pain, and he jerks your chin up to look at him.

"Ah yes, I'm the only thing that you need!" He softly moves the locks out of your face, as your headache tears through your skull. He tilts his head with a soft chuckle at your scrunched up features. "You agree with me, yes? Love fills your heart at the sight of me as well? There's no need for that wooden jail..."

The only thing that filled your heart was worry, with a small dash of anger. How dare he think that you would love him? Just because he took you away from Snatcher that didn't mean that you actually wanted to be with him. You take a deep breath sighing, he really likes grabbing you chin...

You couldn't express your disapproval though... You saw how nuts and horrible he acted towards Snatcher back there and you didn't want him to go off on you next. "Moonjumper, please... I'm just a little attached to the place..." You mumble, lightly gripping the hand on your features and tossing it off. You wish he would just stop putting his hands all over you like that.

Moonjumper tilts his head, with his smile growing smaller on his features. "Attached? I see no strings attaching you to it! It's just us now, my love!" You could see the curiosity and mischievousness fill his gaze with that line. He knew exactly how asinine his statement was, he was just teasing you.

You sigh, tapping your finger nervously on the blanket. "You know what I mean..." Moonjumper's grin goes back to normal, as he softly giggles. "I don't my love! Maybe you need to know what it means to be attached!" You flinch as a string shoots out of him wrapping itself around your torso. "Hahaha! Now you're attached to me for real, you see!" A light playfulness danced in his voice, that his eye didn't share. A want was in his eyes, a need for something that... you could finally understand.

You frown, not exactly liking how he's dancing around your emotions with his little game. "M-Moonjumper, I'm fond of the forest still..." You mumble, averting your eyes from him. In an instant, a fog of tension fills the air as all of the playfulness from before gets drowned out. You gulp, feeling like you made a terrible mistake confronting him.

"Fond..." He says, the strings on you tightening and digging into your skin. "Ask me, My love, the shackle I put on your wrist, why do you believe it's there?" Your eyes shoot towards the silver chain, its gleaming metal taunting your inability to come up with a true answer. "I-I..."A chuckle comes from the blue-skinned ghoul as he grabs your hand raising up the shackle. "You said you would be mine my love, and this..." He scrapes his fingers against its shine, staring at it with half-lidded eyes. "-means you can never leave."

Your eyes widen, as your mouth goes agape. "W-what?" You look at his face, with a disappointment gripping your heart. You already accepted that he was more than likely going to not let you go, but it still hurt to hear it out loud.

Moonjumper moves your hand towards his face, and he rubs his cheek against the shackle that captured your wrist. "This right here... one of the shackles that once kept me here! Without these, I would be free as a bird! No longer bound to the horizon, indeed! It limits me only to visit the forest where I died... covered in ice!" You gulp down the dryness in your throat as a pit forms in your chest. He was limited to only where he died, but you were still alive. Did that mean that you... could never go back down? Was that he was implying with the, you can never leave?

"Hahahaha! These chains bind you here, just like they bind me, my love! You're now the second prisoner of the horizon! Me being the first! Your entire body tenses up with those words. "P-prisoner?" You had a joking thought about him making you his captive with this cuff on your wrists but you didn't mean for it to be true!

You stare into his eye shocked and appalled with the words that just graced your ears. "W-what? Isn't this place your home? Why are you talking about being trapped here?" There was so much for you to digest and understand. It was far too much for you.

He lets go of your hand as a series of giggles come from him, that slowly grew louder and louder. The ghost throws his head back, howling in laughter. It was cynical, bitter in nature like a cup of plain coffee. You found it hard to swallow without gagging from the taste. You wearily keep your eyes on him, scooting away from his outburst.

"My home, and my prison! The place I was sent to forever reside! This may well be my afterlife!" Afterlife... Does he mean that this is heaven? No, this doesn't feel like heaven...It feels more like hell. But how could you be in the afterlife if you were still alive? At least, you thought you were still alive. Did he kill you and bring you with him to the place of his eternal torment? The thought of such a horrible fate nearly breaks your heart into pieces.

"A-am I dead?" You whisper out, tears brimming in your eyes. You didn't want to die, you had so many people down there that would cry at your funeral. Just think about what Hat Kid would go through if she found out you died! The strings burying themselves in you loosen up.

"Shhhhhh..." The calming, cradling tone of his arrives, feeling slimy and scummy to your ears. You have heard it so much before, but you couldn't help but fall under its manipulative spell. His strings gently pull you across the bed and he wraps his arms around you, one coming up to play with your hair. "Dead, you are not! This place only requires having a cuff on your wrist to be bound to it... I would never kill you like that, my love." As the words go on, your mind numbs. All of your thoughts and panic driving to a halt. The words felt so nice against your ear, It really was like a nice lullaby.

You felt so tired... so much has happened today and all of your resistance you would use against his siren spell was used up. You didn't have any hope. There was no way anyone could ever find you here. Moonjumper won and you could either give in... or fight back. And you were too much of a coward for the latter.

He rests his finger under your chin, raising it up so your dull, empty eyes looked straight into his. An adoring look flickers in his eyes, as his face leans in closer to yours. "Nothing will hurt you here my love, now that it's just the two of us. You're all I need... The horizon is no longer my prison with you here." He cups your cheek gently stroking it, making your lip quiver.

A tear falls down your face and his finger daintily wipes it away. "Ah, my poor love is crying, they must be feeling pain-" He whispers, His face inching closer, his breath hitting your lips, as your body begins to lightly shake. You knew what was coming but you were powerless to do anything to fight it. A dark blue dusts the zombie's cheeks, as he licks his own, long-dead lips. "Let me kiss it to make the pain go away..."

You flinch as his lips press into yours. Delicately they moved, almost like they were feasting on something fancy and divine. He wanted to make the sensation last. Your forehead wrinkles as you can taste a sour flavor coming from his lips. A nice sweet outside with a sour inside... It was scary how well that fit Moonjumper.

He acted like he wanted to help or that this was for his own good, but underneath it all he had sour intentions behind it all. He was controlling and manipulative, just like the puppeteer he called himself to be. Pulling the strings, to make you do what he wanted you to do. A mere puppet. Every good puppeteer needs their marionette to control. He can control you in any way he pleases. This was your fate... It's your fault you ended up here with him. Why- why did you agree to leave with him? You knew why it's because you thought he could be better then Snatcher or that you might be able to escape him and go back home.

That... was your fatal mistake.

He was a puppeteer and he finally had his marionette.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snatcher ending

You stare down at the hand, with a weary frown. Moonjumper was insane. He clearly was less stable than Snatcher, and you know that he would be so much worse of a lover then Snatcher ever could be but how are you supposed to reject him. You were alone with him and you didn't know what twisted things he would decide to do because of your rejection.

The hands draw closer to you, as Moonjumper's face darkens. "My love, the clocks ticking and Snatcher grows ever closer to breaking us apart again." He warns, clearly presuming that you didn't want the shadow to get in the way of you two. You sharply inhale as a trickle of sweat goes down your face. Moonjumper is getting antsy about how long you are lingering on leaving his question unanswered.

You can see the happiness leave his eye as they go dull and narrow. "Ask me, my love, are you really considering staying here with him?" Panic floods your face, his voice was so much deeper than you ever heard it before. The words were scaled with hatred and darkness completely different from the light cloud his voice was just moments ago. A small snicker comes from the corpse as he watches your facial features.

"My poor love... You are caught in his web of lies! I have seen him far more than you may think! I guarantee that he is worse than I would ever be!" You wince inching your way away from him. You have never heard him speak with such vile disdain before. The rising tide of panic was starting to choke you. You didn't want to be here. You had to get away.

"Ah I see, I see! You want to run away from me?" His grin came together, looking like the fakest smile you had ever seen. His eyes change a sinisterness enter them that you couldn't describe. "Well then-" Red strings emerge from his fingertips. Your eyes widen. No! you couldn't let yourself be caught in those again! You turn around starting to run, but his strings are faster, wrapping themselves around your wrists and tugging you back.

The blue creepers laugh echoes all around you as your back hits his body, his strings twirl you around and in a second you are face to face with the one-eyed laughing manic. One dilated eye bores into you like a hungry lion ready to pounce on an unsuspecting tourist. His blue tongue does a lap around his lips. "Let me show you how much better I can be." His eye trails down to your lips and your entire body tenses up. H-he's thinking about-? You struggle against his strings, thrashing around violently.

The ghost's smile turns soft and amused, as his pinky has a string appear from it and wrap around your forehead."Hehehe! Let's let our lips dance with each other." The ghost flicks his pinky, pulling your head forward making your lips land directly on his.

His dead lips muffle the cry that exited from your mouth. Your face crumples, tasting a sour tinge as his lips roughly moved against yours. Every move was calculated and precise. You try to turn your head away and a low growl comes from the corpse as he pulls back on your foreheads string tighter. Tears start forming in your eyes as they close themselves, every movement sent shivers of disgust down your spine. You felt filthy, unclean. Every part of you screamed for you to be released from his cursed hold.

Everything fell still beside the racing of your own beating heart mixed in with the murmurs from the one assaulting your lips. His tongue licks your bottom lip, wanting to go deeper inside of your mouth. Your eyes shoot open, as your leg comes up attempting to kick the ghost away. How stupid your action was hit you like an elephant throwing a small child off of its back. He didn't have legs you could kick.

The world around you two gets cloaked in darkness as the world grows colder around you two. You tense up so hard that it felt painful. It was like your bones had formed a solid layer of ice around themselves. A muffled whimper comes from you as a black hole of dread forms inside of your chest.

"You're such a disrespectful rotten lowlife..." The deadly whisper revolves around the circular room coming from every direction. It was the same deep vocals you have heard on repeat for the past month. If you had a soul still you had no doubt that it would have been split in two from the malice and rage in his voice

Moonjumper's lips leave your flesh and you nearly gag from the disgusting sour taste that lingered from his assault. His eye turns to a harsh glare as he wraps he drops he throws off your stings. You throw your arms back away from him attempting to escape him but the ghoul quickly wraps his arms tightly around you, catching your limbs right underneath his accused hold. "Hahahaha! My oh my! Jealous I got to taste their lips first?" His embrace was suffocating, clenching you far too tight. There was no possible way that you could escape.

Two pairs of long glowing yellow eyes appear on either side of you two, as a large overextending grin appears below them. "I don't know if ghosts can die again- BUT I AM ABOUT TO FIND OUT!" The corpse glances back and forth between both pairs of malicious bloodthirsty eyes. "Ah yes! You wish to attack me but can't you see that my dear is in the way?" A smug smile plays on his lips as if he's won from just that fact alone. Hearing sweetheart come out of the zombie's lips was like someone trying to fit a puzzle piece into a crossword puzzle. So very very wrong.

Sweat trickled down your forehead as you exerted every ounce of your strength attempting to rip yourself out of the ghoul's grasp. In spite of how tight his hold was, it was one of a protective lover. He was holding your form like a stubborn child unwilling to give away his toy to anyone. You didn't want this, you didn't want his forced hug you didn't want his horrifying kiss, you wanted nothing to do with him! In one move Moonjumper had made you more petrified of him then you were when you first saw his decaying form.

And that was an achievement that you didn't even know that was possible.

You wearily look at one of the sets of glowing facial features hoping that your clear horror about what was happening to you translated to the ghost. A sadistic gleam shines in the illuminating eyes as a spine-tingling laugh comes from both of the duplicates. "Hahahahahahaha!! Do you think that matters to me? That's just too bad for them!" Your pupils dilate, as your breath gets caught in the middle of your throat. W-was he really going to hurt you?

Your head turns looking over at the second identical face, only to find the same cynical and ruthless expression of its twin. Moonjumper's hold on you somehow grows even tighter. "Ah, yes! You would be willing to hurt the one you love most just to get revenge on me! Hehehehe!" His taunts fall on deaf ears as the snatchers raise up their arms, getting ready to strike.

A whimper slides out of your throat as you look up at the shadowy ghost. Did he not care for you anymore? Did him seeing Moonjumper kiss you like that make his love for you disappear? Snatcher stops, pausing as he reaches the perfect pose for him to strike with when for a fraction of a second, his expression changes as he winks down at you. Confusion overtakes you as you blink at him and his emotions turn back into the cruelness from before.

Suddenly, his shadowy form dives and your breath hitches in your throat. The arms around your torso dart away as strings come out attempting to grab the ghost. Your eyes widen stumbling back from Moonjumper, hardly believing what you were seeing. Your mouth falls agape as the ghosts image fades away as the strings grab a wooden cutout of Snatcher. Your head flings back to the other side only to see the exact same thing. His red threads wrapped around a wooden likeness of the shade.

Moonjumper's eye turns towards you, dropping the fake copies on the floor. "What a despicable trick! My love, you seem to have wandered away from me. Oh, well I'll help you find your way back!" You take a step back just as his hand reaches out, sending his strings your way. You freeze, damning the very sight of that red twine as a curious purple circle appears on the floor between you and Moonjumper. The string grazed your fingertips just as a large multi-colored laser erupts right where the purple circle was before. The threatening strands turn a dull gray as the fall to the ground, being directly hit by the roaring attack.

The blinding rainbow explosion dissipates and out of the disappearing shades, a dark shadow grows to eclipse the space in front of you. No light shone on you as his back was the sight that greeted your eyes. "Despicable? I can hardly think of anything more revolting them someone forcing themselves on MY property." His statement was filled to the brim with rotting festering hatred, you would almost say it tasted like a bottle of expired milk.

Moonjumpers cackles from his statement the shrieking high pitched tone ripping your eardrum, "Hahahaha! Yours! Ask me, dear prince do you think they actually like you back? They are just humoring you so you don't kill them like the others!" The deep blackness that surrounds you didn't let you see anything that was around you. It was like you were stuck in a void of some sort but this void was spitting out the vilest and heart-wrenching atmosphere you could breathe in. Every moment the tension became thicker and you could feel a horrible feeling bubble up in your stomach. "Why would anyone like someone as horrible as you?" Whispered out, the corpse.

You shiver the world becoming as cold as the icy wilderness that occupied this land. The world around you almost pulsated with darkness, anger rising in the tall spirit in front of you. Snatcher's claws balled up into fists as he shook. "YOU. I will make sure that every single brittle bone in that husk you call a body is nothing but dust."

The shade creeps forward away from you as darkness pours in, turning everything around you into a harsh black. "Ah yes! Tear me apart limb from limb, Snatcher! Do exactly what Vanessa would do if someone were to take her prince away!" The madman cackles, welcoming whatever villainous wrath that Snatcher was going to attack him with.

One of Snatcher's eyes flicked at you through the darkness, as he glanced back over to you. "Hahahahaha! Sweetheart, do me a favor! Cover your ears unless you want to hear my favorite track, deathscream.wav!" He turns away leaving the environment a permanent black. "No, in fact, I think you'll be hearing much more than that-"

Snatcher sounded almost like he usually did. He has that spark of mischievousness wrapped up in that hammy silliness he wore like a badge of honor. Almost. Beyond the veil, the silliness was nothing but something to distract you. To deceive you. What lay beneath that veil... was indescribable. It made your knees quake sending you down to the floor. All of your instincts screamed at you, alarms shot off in your head. Something horrible was about to happen...

Crack. Bones shattering into tiny pieces. You stick your fingers inside of your ears as a widow shattering scream assaults the air. Blood splattered on the ground. Flesh ripped in half. These horrible, gooey, sickening, vomit-inducing, sounds play over and over again, like a nightmarish fever dream. "It gets better every time!" Snatcher's voice says intermixed with the terrifying track of gore he was creating.

You could almost feel every one of the sounds happening on your own body, the slashes, the explosion tingling all of your flesh. You curl up into a ball on the cold tree floor, trying to block out the sounds. Trying to block out what horrible fate that Moonjumper had stumbled into.

Moonjumper... His cries echo in your head.

You feel so sorry for him...

He didn't deserve this but Snatcher did it anyway. He only kissed you he shouldn't be tortured like this for it! Tears spring up in your eyes. It's your fault this is happening to him. You should have done something to stop it. But you didn't and he has to suffer from your mistake.

The deafening screams, grow weaker and weaker until their barely a whisper in the air. You bit your own lip as the tears freely spill down your face. You knew a lot about ghosts. You practically read any book about them on the market but... You have never heard of anything... That was like this. Can ghosts die again? You didn't think so but now you aren't sure... The room falls silent, and that was the scariest thing of all.

Arms cradle you upward, as a shadow claw wipes some of the tears from your downpour off of your face. You recoil, whimpering terrified thinking about how those claws were just ripping through another's flesh. "Shhhh... Everything is okay now, sweetheart." Soft, quiet, not at all the loud boisterous voice you had grown to accept as being Snatchers. It felt wrong, horribly wrong... You could taste the love inside of it more now than ever before, and your face scrunched, multiplying your tears.

He loved you, He really did love you, you couldn't pretend that it was just a crush or even something he would get over... This is genuine love. That you didn't share in any way with the ghost. "Hahaha... I'm used to being terrifying but I would think that you would have gotten used to me by now." His attempts of lightening up the tension between you two fell upon your deaf terrified ears. His claws stroke through your hair, and you wince making sure your eyes stayed shut. You didn't want to see what emotions were on his face... You didn't want to know what kind of emotions he was sparring for you.

He lifts you up higher, resting your head against his spiky collar, as his arm moves to act as a chair for you. "Oh. At least you despised that as well." He says as he embraces you with the other arm. "-Don't worry though. My forest now permanently has one less ghost rattling around." His words were like shards of ice, lodging themselves in your brain. Never again? B-but that means that he..! No... Please no... You couldn't handle that level of guilt!

You sink your face into the ghost's collar, wailing into the creature as reality sinks its teeth into you. Your arms come out hugging the creature that took the only other friend you had here away from you. Snatcher rocks you up and down, cooing to you, like a mother with a crying baby. "It's been quite a long time since someone was brave enough to cry on my shoulder." He mumbles, with a nostalgic nature to his tone. You clutched onto him harder, nuzzling your face into him.

"I'm not going to let anything hurt you that isn't me... "His words caressed your ears, like a velvet pillow. Snatcher was much better at this consoling stuff then you thought..."Hey, sweetheart... Shhhhh... You must be pretty traumatized but luckily, your good friend Snatcher is here to banish those tears away." You take some deep breaths, your tears slowly but surely drying as his comforting words sent you into a state of calm. "That's much better... But, I shouldn't be referring to myself as your friend anymore.." A spike of surprise shoots through you as you lift your head off of him.

"You see sweetheart, I'm about to tell you something that I know you are going to love!" A pit forms in your stomach. The way he said that... Sweat builds up on your forehead hoping he isn't going to confess what you think he's going to confess. The ghost grabs either side of you and holds you out at arm's length. His yellow glowing eyes and mouth take center stage in your vision, and he smugly smiles at you. "You really do have good taste in men don't you.~"

Your eyes snap completely open. "W-what..?" Lightheadedness hits you, and you the color drains from your face as Snatcher starts laughing. "Hahahaha! I bet you didn't realize that your little crush on me was so obvious! I've been around forever kid and I've seen this show billions of times before." He pulls you closer to him, and bewilderment claims your being. Wait... he thinks you have a crush on him!?

"All of the questions and compliments... You even flirted with me! Come on!" You swear if the ghost had pupils he would be rolling his eyes at you. "You could have tried to make it difficult for me to tell!" His body brushes against yours again, as he moves his arm back underneath you. His fingers once again stroke the top of your head, and his golden eyes stare into yours sucking in every detail. "I found your little crush so amusing that I decided to keep you around longer. I thought that it would be fun to watch your crush be crushed when I finally disposed of you! Hahahahahaha!" His evil laugh suffocates the air around you and you bite your lip.

HIs laughing died rather suddenly to your amazement, and tension fills the atmosphere. Snatchers cocky exterior loses its energy and he gently grabs your chin, making you face him. The eyes staring at you are indecipherable but a small smile still stands on his lips that sent a shiver down your spine. "But then... you touched my hand-" His voice was a whisper, barely audible from where you were sitting."-and my previous plans were flushed down the toilet. I felt something. Something that I haven't felt in a long time. Something that grew to the point that I can't ignore it anymore."

The pit in your stomach turned into a black hole, every hair on your body stood on its end. Please don't say it- God, don't pecking say it! You could sense it. You could feel it. You knew what was coming and it was going to seal your fate forever. Snatcher brings you closer to his face, and his eyes soften filled with care and even a smudge of nervousness. "(Y/N)...I-" He wets his lips a little, a light yellow brightening up his cheeks. "-I'm in love with you."

Horror consume your face. He loves you. He admitted it. You can't pretend to not know what he's feeling for you anymore...

And you can see the happiness swell up in his face, a giant goofy grin shooting across the blackness. "Shocking right? Hahahaha! Even if it took me a while to accept!" He leans his head back laughing, as the hope of him ever letting you go dies inside of you. The fingers underneath your chin leave, as he brushes back some stray hairs in your face. "The point is that I have a very special contract I drafted up for this occasion." The emphasis he put on special and the excitement burning in his eyes... you gulp down the dryness in your mouth.

"I wasn't expecting to unleash it so soon but that-" His head turns over to the spot that Moonjumper once occupied glaring at the scratch marks. "- puppet creep convinced me to make this a priority." He lowers his arms gently setting you on the floor. Your knees buckle underneath you nearly making you fall but you manage to steady yourself at the last second. " I already own your body and your soul! All that's left now is for you to give me your heart!" In the blink of an eye, a contract appears before you one that spells out two words on the top of it. Two words that would change your life forever. Marriage contract.

"So, (Y/N) would you like to rule with me as my partner?" Time stops, and all is still around you. One by one, thoughts shoot into your head in a frenzy of panic. "Marriage?" You scream out unable to hold all of your panicked thoughts. "B-but we haven't even dated!" Heat rises to your cheeks. Snatchers place feels five degrees warmer all of a sudden.

Snatcher chuckles, the pen for the contract flying straight into your hand. "Hahahahaha! I would rather skip those pleasantries when you're going to be mine regardless! I would recommend reading this contract very carefully sweetheart. There are some additional requirements for sealing the deal~" There was a hunger in his eyes, like a predator just waiting to pounce on its prey. The ghost wiggled around even more than normal, the pure excitement in his eyes easy to see.

You take a deep breath, trying to steady the fast beating of your heart as you pick the contract up reading it.

"I hereby totally agree to be the most handsome ghost around, Snatcher's loving partner forever and ever and ever and ever. And also, I will no longer be allowed out of his sight and chatting with anyone else but him would be a horrible death wish. My heart will become his to keep and I will belong to him in every single way and I will be given joint custody of the Subcon forest.

This contract must be sealed with a kiss between the love of my life plus afterlife and me! There will be no takey backsies!"

Your face goes completely red, as your breathing becomes heavier and heavier. "K-KISS?" You cry out, feeling panics tentacles grip around your heart. You have kissed before. Heck, you've kissed a lot but you didn't want to kiss someone who did... all of those horrible things to Moonjumper. Snatcher snickers putting his hand on your shoulder. "Yes! You just can't wait to smooch this ghost can you~?"

You glance back down at the devil made paper. If you signed this contract... you would NEVER get to be a paranormal investigator. All of your dreams and hopes are going to be taken away by a contract obsessed ghost. A tear slips out of your eye and you quickly wipe it away hoping that snatcher might have not seen it. "I-i don't know what to say..." You mumble a sad desolate tone to your words that feel deaf upon Snatcher. "Talk is cheap! Just sign the paper!"

The pen in your handshakes, as your lips pressed together. From just a couple of pen strokes, you would be trapped here with snatcher for the rest of eternity, only able to speak to him. All of your friends... Hat kid, MU, DJ Grooves... You would never see them again...

"What's the holdup, sweetheart?" Impatient frustration comes from the shadow, folding his arms and staring at you with a frown. "Are you refusing my generous offer? Put your name on the contract or I'll make your dead, hollow body sign it for you!" His thunderous voice makes the very air quiver before him. Was he really planning on... killing you if you didn't sign this? Your eyes open wide, as you flinch away from him. You didn't want to die but was living like this even worth it? Tears well up in your eyes, betrayal hitting you hard in the chest, as you place your pen down on the paper, signing your existence away to him.

"Yes! Now we're in business!" Snatcher yells, grabbing the contract from your hands and holding up in front of his face. "Oh, I'm going to treasure this document..." He lowers the contract from his face, staring at you with half-closed eyes. "We haven't made this contract official quite yet though. I'm sure that you've been dreaming about kissing me for a while now! Hahahahaha! I know I have!"

You flush from his teasing, looking down at the ground. After he took your soul, You never thought that you could ever feel even more empty... Looks like you were proven wrong. Hands gently grab you pulling you up to the golden eyes you would see for every single day for the rest of time. You look away from him unable to handle staring at his features any longer. "Awwww! You shy little thing! Sweetheart, there's no need for being coy!" He places his thumb under your chin, tilting your head back up. "Oh, that red suits you well~"

You whimper, your cheeks going a shade darker, making the undead creature laugh, his own face lighting dusting itself with yellow. "Hahahaha! You are such a cute little thing~ No matter your nervousness, I'm going to feel those plump little lips against mine, and there's nothing you can do about it!~" He wets his lips, and you start to feel light-headed, praying that today was just a horrible nightmare.

He leans in the blush on his face going brighter. "One last thing, sweetheart. This transaction should be accepted passionately. No one likes it when one party doesn't put their all into a deal~" Every inch of your vision was taken up by Snatchers love-hungry glowing face, as he eases closer and closer to your terrified, quivering form. He adjusts you in his arms wrapping them around you, embracing you.

He stops merely an inch away from you chuckling. "Hahaha... Let's seal the deal, shall we?~" He gets rid of the distance between the two of you. Warm soft smoothness places itself on your lips, and you wince clenching your eyes. Gentle, his movements were gentle, soft and caring. His dance was one of innocent calm love. Remembering his words you try to force your mouth to be in-sync with his, performing the waltz together as partners. A moan erupts from Snatcher's lips.

His hand grabs the back your head, pushing you deeper into him. The warmth on your lips and the active participation you had to give was making it harder and harder to block everything happening to you from your mind as the ghost kiss became more and more desperate. His lips press into you harder, and you taste his desire for you. A want-No, a need for you to be his. His patterns became more complex, faster and more frenzied.

You whimper unable to keep up with his passion. He slows down licking your lower lip, requesting access. Your eyes open, your lips clenching together unwilling to budge. Snatcher's eyes narrow at you, biting down lightly on your bottom lip. You yip into his mouth opening your teeth up just enough for him to slip inside. He tastes slightly salty making his intrusion even more obvious for you. You shudder from the sensation, trying your best to kiss him back, as a tear strolls down your cheek. It felt like snatcher would never stop the kiss. It felt like these horrible sensations were going to last forever.

In an act of mercy, after what felt like an eternity, his mouth leaves yours, and you cough, trying to get rid of the salty taste in your mouth. Snatchers ragged breathing takes up most of your hearing as he chuckles. "That's the best way I've ever sweeten a deal~" He leans back down, pecking your cheek. "Uhhh... S-snatcher.." You whisper out. "The deal said forever... b-but I'm going to die one day..." This was it. Your last bastion of hope. If you died that would mean an end to the contract right? Even though... he did specify the love of your life and afterlife on the contract.... Bullet like sweat pours down your face as you nervously smile at him.

He looks at you chuckling before breaking out into a full-blown laugh. "Hahahahahaha! You think that death means the end! Hahaha! Sweetheart, It's only the beginning!" The false smile on your face melts up, as the horror of what you just signed dawns in you. He meant forever... He meant for the rest of eternity... No... Please, no. "You don't have to worry about us separating! I'll make sure you spend your afterlife here with me!"

He holds you up higher, and you can feel an emptiness and hopelessness inside yourself that you never thought you would experience. All of your dreams... crushed. All of your friends are never allowed to see you again. All that was left was an evil manic of a ghost that was your only companion... forever.

He smirks, bringing you in close and whispering in your ear.

"Our contract will NEVER expire."


End file.
